Epic Seats Blog

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