Seattle Mariners 2019 Preview

The 2018 Seattle Mariners fell short of a Wild Card and begin this season with renewed optimism for the future.  General manager Jerry Dipoto was busy this offseason, overturning the roster and aiming toward 2020 and 2021, rather than remaining in go-for-it mode.

The Mariners have some key returning players, however, making the roster somewhat familiar to fans.

Key Holdovers

PLAYER POS *WAR SALARY
Marco Gonzales LHP 2.2 $910K
Mitch Haniger RF 2.9 TC
Kyle Seager 3B 2.6 $19.5M
Mike Leake RHP 1.5 $16.0M
Dee Gordon 2B 1.5 $13.3M

*STEAMER PROJECTION
TC = Team Controlled
Mariners responsible for $11M

Gonzales will team with Leake, Wade LeBlanc and club legend Felix Hernandez in the starting rotation.  But Dipoto went out and added a hard-throwing left-hander to the mix.

Haniger, an All-Star in 2018, is the team’s best player and most valued trade chip, but Dipoto has resisted to date, which suggests the club is asking a lot for the 28-year-old, and rightfully so.

Seager and Gordon both are looking to bounce back from poor seasons.

Key Additions

PLAYER POS *WAR SALARY
Yusei Kikuchi LHP NA $9.5M
Mallex Smith CF 2.3 TC
Omar Narvaez C 1.6 TC
Edwin Encarnacion 1B 1.5 $21.67M
Domingo Santana LF 1.4 $1.95M
Jay Bruce RF 0.5 $14.0M
Anthony Swarzak RHR 0.3 $8.5M
Hunter Strickland RHR -0.2 $1.3M

Kikuchi, 27, signed a four-year, $56 million deal with Seattle in January after being posted by the Seibu Lions. He’s a power pitcher whose fastball sits 90-94 mph and has been up to 97. He also throws a curveball, slider and splitter, all of which are big-league caliber.

Smith came over from Tampa Bay and is likely to man centerfield every day and perhaps serve as the regular leadoff hitter.

Narvaez is a hit-first catcher with on-base skills and maybe some untapped power from the left side.

Bruce and Encarnacion are potential spring trade bait, but have a place in the lineup if they remain Mariners.

Swarzak and Strickland are expected to man the late innings for Seattle.

Key Losses

PLAYER POS NEW TEAM *WAR SALARY
Robinson Cano 2B NY Mets 3.3 $24.0M
Edwin Diaz RHR NY Mets 1.4 TC
Mike Zunino C Tampa Bay 1.5 $4.41M
James Paxton LHP NY Yankees 4.0 $8.58M
Jean Segura SS Philadelphia 2.5 $14.25M
Juan Nicasio RHR Philadelphia 0.2 $9M

Mariners paid Mets $5m Cash 12/18. Additional $3.75M payments each of the next four years.

The Mariners didn’t cut a lot of payroll in the winter moves despite the big names leaving town, but project to start 2019 at about $145 million.

Seattle Mariners Payroll

2019 Mariners Win Projections