Seattle Mariners' Leader Says Team Has No Plans to Trade Starting Pitching
SEATTLE — When people look back on the reasons the Seattle Mariners didn't make the playoffs in 2024, the starting pitching rotation is definitely not one of them.
The Mariners' rotation has arguably been the best in baseball. Logan Gilbert earned a 2024 All-Star selection and joined the 200-inning, 200-strikeout club, second-year starters Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller cemented their place as two of the better starters in the league, George Kirby had a mid-season streak of nine quality starts and the rotation leads the majors in quality starts with 92 — 13 more than the second-highest placing team the Philadelphia Phillies.
Bryan Woo, Painted 95mph Two Seamer. 🖌️🎨 pic.twitter.com/qvzcm3CWH1
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 18, 2024
The starting pitching has been the undeniable lifeblood of Seattle.
And the best thing about it is most of them are affordable. Luis Castillo is the only starter the Mariners didn't draft and develop and he made $24.15 million this year as part of an extension he signed with the team on Sept. 24, 2022. However, guys like Gilbert and Kirby will become more expensive as they move further through the arbitration process.
Logan Gilbert, Wicked Sliders...and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ZD7KQkKTTk
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 25, 2024
But even with that success and value, there's been speculation from several reporters and pundits that Seattle could trade one of the starters in the offseason. Reasons range from salary dumping to trying to trade for a difference-making bat.
Even the Mariners' No. 6 starter, Emerson Hancock, has been mocked in trades.
With speculation swirling around the pitching staff, Seattle President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto seemed to quench those rumors before a game against the Oakland Athletics on Saturday. In what could end up being infamous words for the ninth-year executive, he referred to the idea of trading one of the starters as "Plan 'Z.'"
"On the continuum of 'A' to 'Z', that would be plan 'Z' times some denominator" Dipoto said. "That's not part of why we're (not) good. We haven't played well offensively at home during the course of this season. And our pitchers have been phenomenal. And somehow we've played very well offensively on the road, and that's not where we've been strong. We can shoot ourselves in the foot by trying to get too crafty at what we do. Our pitching is how we're built. I love our rotation. I think we have the potential for a dynamic back end of our bullpen ... months from now. So that wouldn't be plan 'A.' But we'll got into every offseason open to whatever ideas might make us better."
Based on Dipoto's comments, it seems the Mariners' will avoid dealing anyone in their rotation. But he also ended his answer by indicating that the team wouldn't be opposed to it either if it made sense for improving the team.
Gilbert and Kirby are the two eldest members of the rotation aside from Castillo, who's deal runs through 2027 with a vesting option for 2028. Gilbert is under team control through 2027 and Kirby is under control through 2028, but is up for arbitration this offseason.
George Kirby's 2Ks in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/s19UfUevUZ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 25, 2024
Seattle can afford to wait at least one more year to make any additional long-term commitment to their staff. And it looks like the team is committed to their strengths, as it should be.
But, as Dipoto said, the Mariners are "open to whatever ideas" could improve the team. It's unlikely based on Dipoto's comments, but that "Plan Z" statement has the potential to age like milk.
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