Mariners fans hope to meet them Eugenio Suarez finally found a solution to that yesterday when the slugger agreed to return to a different one of his former home: Cincinnati. Suárez’s one-year, $15MM deal with the Reds takes another option from the Seattle clubhouse that reportedly spent much of the offseason exploring options at both third and second base. More may still be on the horizon, however. President of baseball Jerry Dipoto made a big point on Seattle Sports’ Mariners Hot Stove Show this weekend that another move is still possible, telling broadcaster Shannon Drayer:
“There is one more move for us, which we want to make, and we have been working hard these past few days to see if we can achieve it, and hopefully we will. … Josh Naylor. We get a rise in our players as they get more exposure, especially Cole Youngwhich I think you will see this year. And I’m hoping there’s another player coming on board who may not be wearing a Mariners uniform yet.”
General manager Justin Hollander has similarly suggested that it is “possible” his club will make a move to add a hitter this week, according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. Jude writes that he is a Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan remains the M’s top target, but Hollander insisted the Mariners are “open-minded” about ways to improve their lineup.
The fit between Donovan and the Mariners has been scrutinized here and elsewhere for more than a year. Seattle’s interest in the versatile infielder/outfielder goes back to last season. The lefty-swinging Donovan is 29 years old, manageable for two seasons ($5.8MM in 2026), can play multiple positions right (second base, third base, left field) and is a .282/.361/.411 hitter in four big league seasons. Donovan is one of MLB’s strongest hitters and a quality defender who can bounce back depending on which Mariners’ new hitters break through.
That said, it also underscores that the Mariners have a variety of areas where they can pursue improvement if they are truly “open-minded” to other opportunities, as Hollander said. The rookie is a favorite in at-bats at second base but hit just .211/.302/.305 in 257 plate appearances as a rookie. He’s a former first-rounder and top prospect who’s still only 22 years old, so there’s plenty of reason to work hard. In a hot corner, Ben Williamson played good defense but only hit .253/.294/.310 in 295 plate appearances. Colt Emersonone of the top 10 to 20 prospects in the entire game, headed to the minors but turned 20 last summer. He pitched six games in Triple-A late last year and could be the third option later this season.
Currently, the DH area will be used primarily by a combination of Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley and (on days he doesn’t catch) MVP runner-up Raleigh. Canzone was the M’s leadoff hitter in 82 games last year (.300/.358/.481) but needed a .354 batting average to get there and doesn’t have a major league hitting record. Raley struggled with injuries and declining performance but was a quality platoon slugger for Tampa Bay and Seattle in 2023-24.
There is also uncertainty in the right place. Victor Robles was the worst in time for the Mariners in 2024 but missed most of last year with a shoulder injury and hit .245/.281/.330 in 114 plate appearances when healthy. Canzone and Raley could also contribute there, as free agents Rob Refsnyderbut there’s room to add there as well, either through a trade or through the highly-drafted free agent class.
The flexibility to bring someone to multiple infield positions or as part of a DH/right field combination creates many opportunities. Notable names yet to sign for next season include Miguel Andujar, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe again Marcell Ozuna (to name a few). Donovan is the most prominent name on the trade market, but the Nationals (CJ Abrams), Red Sox (Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu) and the Mets (Mark Vientos, Brett Baty) are among the clubs whose names have been in the news all winter.
Currently, RosterResource generates approximately $157MM in opening day earnings for the Mariners. That’s north of last year’s mark by nearly $10MM but shy of where Seattle finished the season, following the deadline acquisitions of Suárez, Naylor and Caleb Ferguson. Seattle’s franchise record Opening Day mark was nearly $158MM in 2018. Given last season’s deep playoff run and the clear winning mode they now find themselves in, ownership will likely be comfortable with a new Opening Day record mark, though there are no firm indications yet of how far they’ll chip away at the current $158MM mark.
