Mariners GM Justin Hollander held a press conference today to discuss the potential for late-offseason acquisitions. While Hollander expressed openness to various possibilities, he suggested that the team is more likely to make minor additions to the roster rather than significant ones. He stated that the current 40-man roster may see marginal additions, but it is unlikely that any major moves will be made given the team’s current situation.
Hollander’s comments come in response to recent reports that the Mariners have internally discussed the possibility of signing free agent Matt Chapman. However, due to restrictions imposed by the CBA, Hollander did not comment on Chapman specifically. It is noted that the team’s discussions regarding the third baseman took place earlier in the month.
There has been no indication that the Mariners are heavily involved in Chapman’s market. It is reported that the team’s interest is contingent on Chapman significantly lowering his asking price. A nine-figure deal for Chapman is said to be out of the question for Seattle. The team would be open to a shorter-term contract with incentives, but this has not been of interest to Chapman’s camp at the Boras Corporation.
Third base appears to be a weak spot for the Mariners. They traded Eugenio Suárez to the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason and made some moves to address the position indirectly. However, the current plan is to have Josh Rojas and Luis Urías platoon at third base. Urías is currently dealing with some soreness in his throwing shoulder, which will limit his participation in infield drills during Spring Training.
Hollander downplayed any concerns about the third base platoon, expressing confidence in Rojas and Urías. However, it is worth noting that Chapman is the only available third baseman who would be a clear upgrade over the current options. If the Mariners are simply monitoring his market in case an opportunity arises to sign him at a lower price, it suggests that they are content with their in-house options.
The Mariners have also been loosely linked to free agents Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger. The connection to Snell is primarily based on geography, as he is a Seattle native. However, the team has not shown much interest in him throughout the offseason. As for Bellinger, Seattle has not considered signing him in the past two offseasons. The team has made moves to reshape their outfield, acquiring Mitch Haniger and Luke Raley, and leaving Haniger and Raley as the expected starters alongside Julio Rodríguez.
Under Dipoto’s leadership, the Mariners have generally preferred trades over free agency, especially when it comes to position players. This offseason, they made their first multi-year free agent signing for a hitter in the form of Mitch Garver. The team’s projected player spending for 2024 is estimated to be around $135 million, which is in line with last year’s Opening Day spending of approximately $137 million.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com