Seattle Mariners Continue to View Veteran Leadership as Priority This Offseason
The Seattle Mariners still have to figure out who several starters on the infield will be before Opening Day on March 27, 2025.
Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto and General Manager Justin Hollander have both identified several infield positions in need of improvement. The team needs to find starters at second and third base and a bat to pair with Luke Raley at first.
Seattle has reportedly just $16 million to spend in free agency. The club can free some more money to spend via trade, which it will have a chance to do during MLB Winter Meetings from Dec. 9-12 in Dallas.
There's limited options for the Mariners to chase after in free agency with their limited funds. But two potential signings are both familiar faces.
Seattle has placed an emphasis on veteran leadership in the locker room the last several seasons. In 2022, recent Gold Glove-winner Carlos Santana helped lead the Mariners to their first playoff berth since 2001. In 2024, Justin Turner was a valuable platoon bat with Raley at first and at one point had the longest consecutive on-base streak in the MLB.
A story from the Athletic's Ken Rosenthal seemed to indicate that a reunion between Seattle and either Turner or Santana is still on the table:
After trading for Carlos Santana and Justin Turner the past two deadlines, the Seattle Mariners want to acquire that type of veteran presence for an entire season, not just the final two months.
Santana will play next season at 39, Turner at 40. Both, however, are still above-average offensive players, and Santana just won his first Gold Glove at first base. Pete Alonso or Christian Walker would better fill the Mariners’ need at that position, but it would be an upset if Seattle emerged as the high bidder for either.
Carlos Santana - Seattle Mariners (11) pic.twitter.com/5ua3IM6F1c
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) August 10, 2022
With the Mariners, Turner batted .264 with five home runs and 24 RBIs in 48 games played. In 2024 with the Minnesota Twins, Santana hit .238 with 23 home runs and 71 RBIs.
Justin Turner, second deck to tie this game.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) September 19, 2024
Exit velo: 102.3 mph
Launch angle: 29°
Distance: 390 ft.
Hang time: 5.1 seconds pic.twitter.com/1vbn5YWfzv
The platoon of Turner and Raley bore success for Seattle in 2024 and it might behoove the club to run it back to see if that success can repeat.
But the power possibility of Raley and Santana could also be something worth exploring, especially considering the latter's Gold Glove acumen.
Both veterans would already have value on the team given their experience that Dipoto and Hollander value. But the two are also still capable of being decent contributors.
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