Mariners offseason thread 2025-26

[Wsumatt1982]

Hard pass on Bregman

 

[sutz]

Geez...they should negotiate a yearly limit on these contracts. Four or five years tops sounds about right.

For that we'd need a salary cap and a CBA that makes sense. Players and agents will fight that for sure.

 

[bileever]

Which would you choose? Pete Alonso at $155 million for 5 years, or Josh Naylor at $92.5 million over 5 years? Alonso’s a bigger name who hits more home runs, but if you look closer, I think Naylor’s the player I prefer. Alonso’s bWar is 3.4, but Naylor is right behind him at 3.1. Alonso’s slash line is .272/.347/.524 and Naylor’s is .295/.353/.462. Alonso is 31 and Naylor is 28. Also, Alonso strikes out twice as much as Naylor, 162 to 83.

The other big thing is that Alonso is the worst fielding first basemen in MLB, with negative OAA (outs above average) and DRS (defensive runs saved). Last year Alonso’s OAA was -9 and his DRS was also -9, which was the worst in MLB. Josh may not be the best fielding first basemen, but he’s above average, with a positive OAA every year since 2020 (this year, he was 8th).

I also like Naylor’s intensity, which is in stark contrast to Alonso, whose nicknames are Alpha Doofus and Polar Bear.

 

[Wsumatt1982]

Which would you choose? Pete Alonso at $155 million for 5 years, or Josh Naylor at $92.5 million over 5 years? Alonso’s a bigger name who hits more home runs, but if you look closer, I think Naylor’s the player I prefer. Alonso’s bWar is 3.4, but Naylor is right behind him at 3.1. Alonso’s slash line is .272/.347/.524 and Naylor’s is .295/.353/.462. Alonso is 31 and Naylor is 28. Also, Alonso strikes out twice as much as Naylor, 162 to 83.

The other big thing is that Alonso is the worst fielding first basemen in MLB, with negative OAA (outs above average) and DRS (defensive runs saved). Last year Alonso’s OAA was -9 and his DRS was also -9, which was the worst in MLB. Josh may not be the best fielding first basemen, but he’s above average, with a positive OAA every year since 2020 (this year, he was 8th).

I also like Naylor’s intensity, which is in stark contrast to Alonso, whose nicknames are Alpha Doofus and Polar Bear.

Naylor for sure. This team doesn't need "pop" it needs OBP. Naylor offers that, Pete Alonso does not. The less Eugenio Suarez's on this team the better.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

For that we'd need a salary cap and a CBA that makes sense. Players and agents will fight that for sure.

Sounds like that is what is coming/aimed for in the next CBA in 2027. Other owners don't want a Dodgers situation long term where they just sign everyone but there is also talk of a salary floor to stop teams like the A's, White Sox and Rays from being cheap and unwatchable. The TV deals tanking is scaring the owners.

There might not even be a season when the negotiations happen given how contentious it is and how strong the player union is.

It's a situation that may long term benefit the Mariners. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/b...aZzVJWwfyZ2nPoGGUBPYYiPAlp91IwEpvFsYiok2aVcFt

 

[Shane Falco]

Naylor for sure. This team doesn't need "pop" it needs OBP. Naylor offers that, Pete Alonso does not. The less Eugenio Suarez's on this team the better.

Just saw that Suarez signed with the Braves then realized it was a reliever named Suarez. Not going to lie, I'll be relieved when he signs elsewhere.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Hate them until they're on your team. This would qualify. Then again, he's a pretty fricken damn good player.

 

[AnimeAmore]

Bringing back Garver is just more of the same. We can't expect to do better unless we get better, and we currently are not on track to be better.
Also does anyone expect Cal to repeat his offensive performance? We should expect the offense to be worse next year if we bring back the same lineup.

 

[Wsumatt1982]

Bringing back Garver is just more of the same. We can't expect to do better unless we get better, and we currently are not on track to be better.
Also does anyone expect Cal to repeat his offensive performance? We should expect the offense to be worse next year if we bring back the same lineup.

100%. I’ve been saying the same. We don’t get better with the same lineup because Cal won’t do again what he did last year. Others may step up but players have a way of sticking to the mean. I fear the FO thinks this team of last year will get better by doing the bare minimum and yet again banking on “bounce back players”

 

[Wsumatt1982]

On MLBtraderumors the M's are working on a deal to sign Andrew Knizner to be Cal's backup catcher.

Mariners Sign Andrew Knizner

The Mariners are working on a contract for Cal Raleigh's new backup contract. Read more about free agent Andrew Knizner at MLB Trade Rumors.

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[IndyHawk]

Sounds like that is what is coming/aimed for in the next CBA in 2027. Other owners don't want a Dodgers situation long term where they just sign everyone but there is also talk of a salary floor to stop teams like the A's, White Sox and Rays from being cheap and unwatchable. The TV deals tanking is scaring the owners.

There might not even be a season when the negotiations happen given how contentious it is and how strong the player union is.

It's a situation that may long term benefit the Mariners. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/b...aZzVJWwfyZ2nPoGGUBPYYiPAlp91IwEpvFsYiok2aVcFt

There needs to be a hard cap and if baseball shuts down for a year
then so be it to fix the broken system.

 

[Crizilla]

Hard pass on Bregman

Cringe. He's elite.

 

[Wsumatt1982]

Cringe. He's elite.

The deal he wants you pay for 2 probably decent years and 3 shit ones. He used to be elite. I wouldn’t call him elite at age 32 now

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Polanco signs with the Mets. 2 years 40 million. Bummer but that is steep. Also sounds like the Mets are going to play him at first base which is weird

 

[Azvacar]

Polanco signs with the Mets. 2 years 40 million. Bummer but that is steep. Also sounds like the Mets are going to play him at first base which is weird

He apparently waited most of the off months looking for a 3 year... but no one would bite.

20 seems a bit much esp to play him at a position he's never played before.

 

[hawkfan68]

Good for Polanco. The Mets' are desperate after losing Diaz and Alonso.

 

[Glasgow Seahawk]

Dipoto said he still wanted to sign one more bat and it likely wouldn't be at 3rd base. Wonder who plan b is?

 

[Azvacar]

Dipoto said he still wanted to sign one more bat and it likely wouldn't be at 3rd base. Wonder who plan b is?

Some dude who hit .210 last year probably

 

[bileever]

On MLBtraderumors the M's are working on a deal to sign Andrew Knizner to be Cal's backup catcher.

Mariners Sign Andrew Knizner

The Mariners are working on a contract for Cal Raleigh's new backup contract. Read more about free agent Andrew Knizner at MLB Trade Rumors.

www.mlbtraderumors.com

Definitely need a good backup catcher. Knizner is an above-average defensive catcher, so that's something. It looks like he had one good year at the plate, but not so much recently. He's only 31, and I think he would be an upgrade over Garver. The other two alternatives that have been mentioned before, Victor Caratini and Danny Jansen are better hitters but they are also below-average defensively.

 

[bileever]

Dipoto said he still wanted to sign one more bat and it likely wouldn't be at 3rd base. Wonder who plan b is?

It wouldn't be my first choice, but I read that Marcell Ozuna could be had for less than $15 million. He is 35 years old, and you wonder how much he has left in the tank. Last year he hit 21 HRs with an OPS of .756. (Polanco hit 30 HRs with an OPS of .821.) But as recenlty as 2024, Ozuna hit 39 HRs with an OPS of .925. The problem with Ozuna is that there isn't any positional flexibility--he would mainly be a DH.