Mariners Still Looking For Additional Infielder

[Brock Beauchamp]

Ken Rosenthal reported today that the Seattle Mariners are still looking for an infielder to bolster their offense in 2024.

After a quiet start to the offseason, notorious wheeler and dealer Jerry Dipoto has been active in the past week, making notable trades with both the Giants and Rays.

Like the Twins, the Mariners are facing television uncertainty, recently taking control of their regional sports network, Root Sports. Jorge Polanco and his short-term, cost-controlled contract status should be appealing to Seattle. The 30-year-old Polanco is under contract for $10.5 million in 2024 and has a $12 million team option for 2025.

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[RpR]

Trade Julien to them.

[DJL44]

20 minutes ago, RpR said:

Trade Julien to them.

Seattle actually has the young, good, cheap starting pitchers that would make a Julien trade worthwhile but I doubt Seattle will want to trade any of them.

[harmony55]

Was Ken Rosenthal speculating when he wrote: "The Mariners still would like to add one more bat in the infield so they are not as reliant on Josh Rojas at second and Luis Urias at third."? Rosenthal failed to attribute that sentiment to anyone associated with the Mariners.

In Sunday's article, Seattle Times beat reporter Ryan Divish provided extensive quotes from Mariner PBO Jerry Dipoto. In those quotes Dipoto never mentioned the infield specifically.

 

[RpR]

If you check stats at  Baseball Ref. Polanco is well below average at SS or 3rd.

[tony&rodney]

Dipoto does a good job of repeating himself. After the season ended, again after the first transaction, and in metronome fashion after every trade thereafter including the last one Jerry has stated something nearly like, "I really like our team right now". It really is consistent ..... and then he goes out and makes another trade.

I'm a baseball fan and always a Twins fan but also have liked the Mariners since Edgar (1990). Dipoto has some more work to do if he wants to win 90 games or more. He likes to trade and might have to gamble a bit more, which he loves to do.

[Met Stadium Usher]

I am also a split Twins/Mariners fan, having been happily exiled to Seattle for several years. Edgar, a deadly clutch hitter and all-around nice guy, isn't quite on the same level with Harmon, who was those same things, but he is in the neighborhood, which says a lot right there. Two HoFers. 

[harmony55]

1 hour ago, Met Stadium Usher said:

I am also a split Twins/Mariners fan, having been happily exiled to Seattle for several years. Edgar, a deadly clutch hitter and all-around nice guy, isn't quite on the same level with Harmon, who was those same things, but he is in the neighborhood, which says a lot right there. Two HoFers. 

FWIW I have been a Seattle Mariners fan since moving to the Pacific Northwest in 1994 although my childhood hero was Harmon Killebrew when I was growing up a Twins fan in Iowa.

[Otaknam]

15 hours ago, RpR said:

Trade Julien to them.

No to trading Julien. His offensive profile, ability to get on base, and low salary make him an ideal lead off hitter. Mix in his demonstrated power and he is a keeper, not trade bait.

[Cory Engelhardt]

Here is a hypothetical; let's say the Twins trade (not Polanco) with another team to add a quality starting pitcher (we'll call that team the Marlins just for an example.)

IF Seattle still wanted to trade for Polanco, what is something that would excite you to get back in a trade that is from Seattle that ISN'T one of their starting pitchers?

[JD-TWINS]

14 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Here is a hypothetical; let's say the Twins trade (not Polanco) with another team to add a quality starting pitcher (we'll call that team the Marlins just for an example.)

IF Seattle still wanted to trade for Polanco, what is something that would excite you to get back in a trade that is from Seattle that ISN'T one of their starting pitchers?

Gotta be a strong piece from the Pen…….no interest at any other position.

[Cory Engelhardt]

I don't know, Seattle does have a fairly strong system. I'm not advocating to salary dump anyone, let alone Polanco. Just wanted to bring it up as a topic.

[Dman]

Polo isn't going to pry away one of Seattle's young starters and I don't think Seattle needs to trade for Polanco if they can get Merrifield. Also I don't love the idea of giving Seattle a potent, pretty clutch bat, without something big coming back.  If it isn't pitching I don't see a deal getting done there. 

They don't have another pitcher beyond Hancock in their system in the top 10 and other than Berroa no one even even above High A in their top 30.  I just don't see how Seattle can give up pitching or be the trade partner the Twins are looking for. I think the Twins end up moving him somewhere else if they move him at all.

[DJL44]

33 minutes ago, Otaknam said:

No to trading Julien. His offensive profile, ability to get on base, and low salary make him an ideal lead off hitter. Mix in his demonstrated power and he is a keeper, not trade bait.

Kirby and Gilbert are really good pitchers. To get one of them would require trading someone as good as Julien.

[DJL44]

34 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Here is a hypothetical; let's say the Twins trade (not Polanco) with another team to add a quality starting pitcher (we'll call that team the Marlins just for an example.)

IF Seattle still wanted to trade for Polanco, what is something that would excite you to get back in a trade that is from Seattle that ISN'T one of their starting pitchers?

Harry Ford

[chpettit19]

1 hour ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

Here is a hypothetical; let's say the Twins trade (not Polanco) with another team to add a quality starting pitcher (we'll call that team the Marlins just for an example.)

IF Seattle still wanted to trade for Polanco, what is something that would excite you to get back in a trade that is from Seattle that ISN'T one of their starting pitchers?

Harry Ford.

[LA Vikes Fan]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

Kirby and Gilbert are really good pitchers. To get one of them would require trading someone as good as Julien.

Let's be real guys, Julien alone doesn't get you Kirby or Gilbert. He should get us Woo or Miller plus a A or AA prospect ranked 20-30 in the Mariners system, or Hancock plus two prospects.  If Polanco is the bait, getting Woo, Miller, or even Hancock is Polanco plus a real prospect (10-25 in the Twins system), plus an A ball guy minimum. Kirby or Gilbert requires Julien plus a top 10 prospect like Lee.    

i would trade Polanco plus Festa or Raya (plus someone else not in the top 20) for Woo or Miller. Don't want to trade Julien given his OBP and his years of control. Gilbert and Kirby are waaaay out of our price range unless we are willing to trade Lewis or both Julien and Lee or someone like Lee plus a lower level prospect. I'm not willing to do that. 

[harmony55]

FWIW over the past two seasons Jorge Polanco has posted a 119 wRC+ and 3.3 fWAR in 184 games while Seattle utility player Dylan Moore has posted a 118 wRC+ and 2.8 fWAR in 171 games.

Polanco is guaranteed $11.25 million, including the buyout of the 2025 team option, while Moore, who is a year older than Polanco, has two years and a guaranteed $6.565 million remaining on his contract.

As of today, the Mariners plan to cover second and third base with Luis Urias, Josh Rojas and Moore.

[Cory Engelhardt]

28 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

Harry Ford.

I mean, I like shooting for the moon too, but I don't see them making Ford available.

There are other guys though that are appealing in my opinion.

[chpettit19]

7 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

I mean, I like shooting for the moon too, but I don't see them making Ford available.

There are other guys though that are appealing in my opinion.

You asked if there are other guys people would be interested in from their org outside their pitchers and Ford is the guy. I doubt they'd make him available either. But I'm not interested in dumping Polanco for a random smattering of B or C level prospects. I don't think that helps the Twins in any way. So Ford is who I'd be interested in. Or Cole Young, but that's not a likely possibility either. I just don't see any appeal in dumping 2 years of Polanco for guys who'd join the Twins stable of B and C level prospects. They have enough of those already.

[DJL44]

11 minutes ago, harmony55 said:

As of today, the Mariners plan to cover second and third base with Luis Urias, Josh Rojas and Dylan Moore.

Right. As of now the Mariners are planning to use three utility players to cover 2B and 3B for the entire season. This is why there is so much speculation that they would add another infielder to the roster.

[Cory Engelhardt]

3 minutes ago, chpettit19 said:

You asked if there are other guys people would be interested in from their org outside their pitchers and Ford is the guy. I doubt they'd make him available either. But I'm not interested in dumping Polanco for a random smattering of B or C level prospects. I don't think that helps the Twins in any way. So Ford is who I'd be interested in. Or Cole Young, but that's not a likely possibility either. I just don't see any appeal in dumping 2 years of Polanco for guys who'd join the Twins stable of B and C level prospects. They have enough of those already.

IF the Twins also see the prospects available as B or less level prospects, then the answer probably is that Polanco stays with the Twins right? Like Jonathan Clase, for me, would certainly be interesting to say the least. I don't know if he would be available either, but he has speed like not many Twins players in the organization have.

 

Just wanted to throw out the idea.

 

 

[chpettit19]

2 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

IF the Twins also see the prospects available as B or less level prospects, then the answer probably is that Polanco stays with the Twins right? Like Jonathan Clase, for me, would certainly be interesting to say the least. I don't know if he would be available either, but he has speed like not many Twins players in the organization have.

 

Just wanted to throw out the idea.

 

 

I like the idea of looking at other guys Seattle may actually be willing to trade in pursuit of Polanco so certainly wasn't trying to diminish this thought exercise.

Clase is interesting. I don't know that I'd be excited if he were the headliner of a Polanco return. I don't like that he's already on the 40-man, and not MLB ready (in my opinion). Definitely an intriguing speed/power combo, but he feels like a really raw kid still. I haven't watched him play a bunch or anything so could be completely wrong, but that's just my read on him from what I've looked at the last couple months as Seattle became a popular Polanco/Kepler destination option. Has sort of a "faster, but less potent bat" Emmanuel Rodriguez feel to him. High Ks and BBs with low batting average and pretty good power. Certainly intriguing, but I'm not as high on Rodriguez as others so a lesser version of him isn't something that is super exciting to me. If he were to come back in a Polanco trade I'd certainly want other prospects coming with.

[harmony55]

3 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Right. As of now the Mariners are planning to use three utility players to cover 2B and 3B for the entire season. This is why there is so much speculation that they would add another infielder to the roster.

Seattle indeed acquired low on Luis Urias and Josh Rojas with their disappointing 2023 seasons.

However, Urias and Rojas were full-time players the two previous seasons, combining for 2,102 plate appearances, Urias with an OPS+ of 111 and 4.4 fWAR and Rojas with an OPS+ of 106 and 4.5 fWAR.

Rojas posted an OPS+ of 103 with 1.2 fWAR in 46 games after his July 2023 trade to Seattle.

Pitching is Seattle's strength but the Mariners also return the position core of Julio Rodriguez, J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh, who last year combined for 15.5 fWAR. Roster Resource's current Seattle lineup has only one starter -- Josh Rojas -- with a projected wRC+ below 100. 

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/mariners

The Mariners hope to improve in last year's team OPS+ of 106 just as the Twins would like to improve on their 2023 team OPS+ of 106.

[mnfireman]

3 hours ago, Otaknam said:

No to trading Julien. His offensive profile, ability to get on base, and low salary make him an ideal lead off hitter. Mix in his demonstrated power and he is a keeper, not trade bait.

Which makes him a more attractive trade piece that should bring back a better return...

[chpettit19]

29 minutes ago, harmony55 said:

Seattle indeed acquired low on Luis Urias and Josh Rojas with their disappointing 2023 seasons.

However, Urias and Rojas were full-time players the two previous seasons, combining for 2,102 plate appearances, Urias with an OPS+ of 111 and 4.4 fWAR and Rojas with an OPS+ of 106 and 4.5 fWAR.

Rojas posted an OPS+ of 103 with 1.2 fWAR in 46 games after his July 2023 trade to Seattle.

Pitching is Seattle's strength but the Mariners also return the position core of Julio Rodriguez, J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh, who last year combined for 15.5 fWAR. Roster Resource's current Seattle lineup has only one starter -- Josh Rojas -- with a projected wRC+ below 100. 

https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/depth-charts/mariners

The Mariners hope to improve in last year's team OPS+ of 107 just as the Twins would like to improve on their 2023 team OPS+ of 109.

So Polanco wouldn't be an upgrade on Rojas when it comes to improving on the team's OPS+? Didn't you just prove our arguments that Jorge Polanco is an upgrade on Rojas as a hitter?

[Mike Sixel]

I'd want 2 B level prospects from Seattle, but looking at the system, not in love with any of the realistic options......so I'm not convinced MN and SEA match up well for a Polanco for prospect deal.....Ideally I want a SP that was hurt, or is far from the majors but with big upside (I'm dealing for upside, as I don't think you get a AA/AAA really good SP back just for him, but maybe you don?) TOR has a ton of highly regarded SP that were hurt in the minors ....maybe 2 of them (not the best)?

[DJL44]

I think Matt Chapman might be part of the wait here. If his price is low enough I would expect Seattle to have interest.

[Cory Engelhardt]

@harmony55Just curious, what is Sam Carlson up to these days? He was a Minnesota high school prospect drafted fairly high a few years back by the Mariners, and if I remember correctly he got hurt soon in his professional career. 

Not asking for trading purposes, just curious if you know what's going on with him? 

[August J Gloop]

Polo to the Mariners for Bryan Woo. The least heralded of the exciting young pitchers in teal, but he's got promise. He has a live fastball and the Twins have been good at unlocking sweepers.