Seattle Mariners 2021 Grades: Part 7 – General Manager Jerry Dipoto
The Seattle Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto had a busy year. He made some in-season trades, with one being arguably the most controversial in franchise history. It’s time to review his 2021 season.
Seattle Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto’s rebuilding plan finally started to bear fruit in 2021. Coming into the season, no one expected the M’s to contend for anything. Most experts had them finishing third in the AL West at best.
Offseason Additions
Dipoto has a reputation for being an active GM. Most notoriously for trading players. However, in the 2020 offseason, he made only one trade. The GM sent two minor leaguers to the Texas Rangers for closer Rafael Montero. I wonder if he wants a do-over here?
He also made a bunch of free-agent signings. Here are some quick highlights:
In December, the Seattle Mariners signed relief pitcher Keynan Middleton to a major league deal and starter Chris Flexen to a two-year deal after the righty had a good 2020 season with the Doosan Bears in Korea. Then in January, he signed Roenis Elias and Paul Sewald to minor league deals. Finally, in February, the M’s signed former star James Paxton to a one-year deal (more like a one-start deal) and Ken Giles to a two-year deal.
Overall, these signings worked out well. Some of the under-the-radar moves Dipoto made, such as bringing in Sewald and Flexen as well as inviting Drew Steckenrider to Spring Training as a non-roster player, paid handsome dividends. Seattle Mariner fans can expect similar types of moves in 2022.
PAUL SEWALD. CLUTCH. pic.twitter.com/Vdhcqjawxd
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 22, 2021
The Trade
So, this is where things get controversial. Some Seattle Mariners fans are still clamoring for Dipoto to bring back Kendall Graveman. These GraveHeads (the nickname I gave them) are die-hards for him and think he’s Seattle’s best reliever ever.
In late July, he pulled off a big trade during a series against Houston. Hours after completing the first game, a thrilling Seattle Mariners comeback, where Graveman was the winning pitcher and Sewald earned his fourth save of the year, Dipoto made his move.
Dipoto traded Graveman and Montero for infielder Abraham Toro and veteran reliever Joe Smith. This trade divided the fan base. More importantly, it caused a major impact on the clubhouse. Manager Scott Servais deserves a lot of credit for getting this team through this time.
After the trade, Dipoto made a statement to the many outcries from a stunned fan base, saying everyone should wait till the end of the week before rushing to judgment. A few days later, the Seattle Mariners traded for pitchers Diego Castillo and Tyler Anderson.
To some fans, these moves were good and offset the Graveman loss. However, to the GraveHeads, the damage was done, and there wasn’t a move out there (unless reacquiring Graveman) that could negate the loss.
Final Grade
Overall, GM Jerry Dipoto made a handful of moves. Almost all of them paid off and improved the team. He could have dealt Montero away sooner. Or he could have moved Graveman when the Seattle Mariners weren’t currently playing Houston. In my opinion, that was the worst part of the trade. Subsequently, all these moves earn Dipoto a final grade of a B.
If you missed any of the previous parts of this series, please click the link. Part 1 – Infield, Part 2 – Outfield, Part 3 – Catchers, Part 4 – Starting Pitchers, Part 5 – Relief Pitchers, and Part 6 – Manager and Coaches.
How would you grade Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto’s 2021 performance? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.