Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto was amongst quite a few executives to talk with reporters on the GM Conferences on Tuesday. He addressed a number of of the membership’s offseason objectives — most notably, a need to enhance the offense’s bat-to-ball expertise.
“Including some contact to our lineup,” Dipoto replied when requested by Jon Morosi of MLB.com concerning the membership’s greatest want. He added that a further right-handed bat can be preferable, saying the entrance workplace was enthusiastic about its group of younger lefty hitters.
That need to enhance the contact fee tied into Seattle’s considerably stunning determination not to issue a qualifying supply to Teoscar Hernández. “We wished to verify we will handle among the flaws that exist in our staff,” Dipoto advised reporters (link via Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). “Regardless of the very fact he didn’t have a fantastic begin to his season, he put up his numbers and he contributed down the stretch as a lot as any participant we had. However we felt like this was a chance to type of take a brand new have a look at the best way our staff is constructed. If there was a purpose why we have been sitting house within the postseason, we felt prefer it was in all probability the lack to constantly make contact.”
Seattle hitters certainly struggled with swing-and-miss. Solely the Twins struck out extra usually, whereas the M’s completed twenty second with a .242 batting common. They have been fifteenth in on-base proportion and sixteenth in slugging. Hernández completed second on the staff with 211 strikeouts, though that shouldn’t be particularly stunning. He has all the time been a power-first participant who compensates for a middling plate self-discipline profile with extra-base affect.
It appears the Mariners are planning a acutely aware shift away from that type. The departure of Hernández leaves a gap within the nook outfield. Speculatively talking, Hernández’s former Toronto teammate Lourdes Gurriel Jr. might match the mildew that Seattle is focusing on. Whereas Gurriel additionally has an aggressive offensive strategy, he’s a right-handed bat who has robust pure contact expertise and 20+ homer pop.
Gurriel is a left fielder solely, so a hypothetical pursuit would possible push Jarred Kelenic to proper area. KBO star Jung Hoo Lee hits from the left aspect however brings a hit-first strategy and will profile in proper area. Alex Verdugo and Max Kepler are among the many outfielders who could also be obtainable in commerce. Second base, which stands out as one other space the M’s might attempt to improve, has a number of hit-over-power prospects. Whit Merrifield, Amed Rosario and Tim Anderson are all free brokers who hit from the suitable aspect, though none is coming off a fantastic end to the 2023 season.
Seattle’s staff chief in strikeouts was third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who fanned at a 30.8% clip. Suárez has led the American League in complete strikeouts in consecutive seasons. He hit .232/.323/.391 in 2023 general, roughly league common offense when accounting for Seattle’s pitcher-friendly house park.
Whereas Dipoto didn’t point out Suárez, it doesn’t appear out of the query the Mariners store him earlier than the ultimate assured season of his contract. To that finish, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reported this night that the Blue Jays are eyeing Suárez as a possible third base possibility in the event that they lose Matt Chapman in free company. Had been Seattle to maneuver Suárez, they’d possible must backfill by way of commerce or free company. Jeimer Candelario is the highest various to Chapman on the open market.
In different information, Dipoto confirmed the staff continues to have curiosity in re-signing Tom Murphy (by way of Divish). The longtime #2 catcher hit free company, leaving Seattle with simply minor league commerce pickup Blake Hunt on the 40-man roster behind Cal Raleigh. The M’s are very possible to usher in a veteran catcher this winter. Murphy, who hit .290/.335/.538 in 47 video games earlier than a season-ending thumb fracture, has a shot at a two-year pact.
