Multi-Time Gold Glove Winner Listed as Possible Free Agent For Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners made their first moves of the offseason on Friday.
The Mariners declined the option of third baseman Jorge Polanco and third baseman Luis Urias cleared waivers and elected free agency.
The moves affirmed Seattle's need at several infield spots: first base, second base and third.
There are several free agents for the Mariners to go after. But comments made after the season by team owner/chairman John Stanton will likely take several of the biggest names off the board for the team.
With that in mind, the Seattle Times' Adam Jude published an article including four players who are "in (the) Mariners' price range." Among those players was the Arizona Diamondbacks' starting first baseman Christian Walker.
Walker is a two-time Gold Glove first baseman and could win his third this offseason. He's coming off a year where he averaged .251 at the plate with 26 home runs and 84 RBIs.
Christian Walker LOVES hitting at Dodger Stadium.
— MLB (@MLB) July 4, 2024
2 HRs tonight, 17 HRs in 41 career games 🤯 pic.twitter.com/oMBjzSZypd
Jude said the following about the possibility of Walker joining Seattle:
"Over the past three seasons, he has 95 homers with an .813 OPS and a 123 OPS+. He hits free agency at age 33 — he’ll turn 34 at the start of the 2025 season — meaning he will probably command just a two- or three-year deal, at upward of $25 million per season. That’s the sort of short-term commitment the Mariners covet, and Walker would fill two needs for the M’s as a middle-of-the-order presence and a Gold Glove first baseman."
Walker is projected to have a market value of three years, $66.16 million according to Spotrac.
There also seems to be some smoke to that fire, with the Athletic's Jim Bowden predicting Walker will be headed to the Pacific Northwest.
Walker would give the Mariners flexibility at first base alongside Luke Raley.
Walker hit .275 with four homers and 26 RBIs in 157 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, according to Statmuse. Raley hit .189 with two home runs and four RBIs in 89 plate appearances against lefties.
Walker would provide offensive coverage for Seattle at first base no matter who's on the mound. There's also the aforementioned elite defense and the veteran presence that Seattle President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto spoke highly of in his end-of-season media scrum.
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