Seattle Mariners: 2023 free agents – Best of the Rest
By Ed Stein
Michael Conforto, New York Mets (photo by slgckgc, via Flickr).
The Seattle Mariners have been quiet in free agency this winter. If they decide to make a late run at adding to the roster, these players best fit their needs.
So far, Major League teams have spent over $2.5B on free agent signings. The Seattle Mariners are responsible for $1M of that total. Not very impressive.
Even after trading for Teoscar Hernandez and Kolten Wong, the M’s still have holes to fill. Among them are a regular left fielder (or at least a right-handed bat who could platoon with Jarred Kelennic), a designated hitter, a corner infielder to backup Ty France and Eugenio Suarez, someone who can get on base, and some bullpen help, preferably a lefty.
After the most recent signings, the remaining free agent pickings are slim. This is the best of what’s left with their respective pros and cons.
Michael Conforto has a career slash line of .255/.356/.468/.824 with good power.
Has become more of a pull hitter, and the change in shift rules will help him.
A Seattle native, he went to Redmond High School.
Crushes right-handed pitching, .873 career OPS.
Cons
Didn’t play in 2022 after shoulder surgery the previous fall.
Should produce more than he does at the plate.
Streaky hitter.
A Scott Boros client, he could be expensive for someone who hasn’t played in a year.
If the Mariners want a full-time left fielder, Michael Conforto is their guy. Conforto also fits in as a DH while he works his way back from a year off.
Next: Page 2 – Outfield Platoon Players
Maybe the Seattle Mariners want to give Jarred Kelenic another chance. Platooning him with someone better at facing left-handed pitchers makes sense.
A.J. Pollock – OF – 35 – R
2022: Chicago White Sox – 138 games, .245 batting average/.292 on base percentage/.389 slugging percentage/.681 OPS, 26 doubles.
Pros
Brings much-needed World Series experience, A.J. Pollock won a championship with the Dodgers in 2020.
Played 8 seasons in Arizona and is 6th on D-Backs in all-time WAR.
Career .801 OPS improves to .868 against lefties.
Cons
His defense has slipped the past few seasons; Pollock isn’t the Gold Glove player he was in 2015.
2021 was his worst MLB season. At 35, is this the beginning of the end, or did Pollock have problems adjusting to his first American League season?
Not an everyday player. He only had 600 plate appearances once in 11 MLB seasons.
A good lead-off option against lefties with a career .351 OBP.
Despite a poor season at the plate in 2022, with two out-of-contention teams, he still scored 89 runs.
Plenty of postseason experience. Tommy Pham has been in the playoffs in 5 of 9 MLB seasons.
Cons
Definitely on the downside of his career.
More of a mercenary at this point in his career, Tommy Pham has played for 5 different teams over the last 5 seasons.
Pham would be an upgrade over Jesse Winker in left, but not a plus fielder.
Robbie Grossman – LF/RF – 33 – S
2022 Detroit/Atlanta: 129 games, .209/.310/.311/.621, hit into only 3 double plays.
Pros
He is a switch hitter, which Seattle Mariners Manager Scott Servais likes on his bench.
Had one of his better defensive seasons in 2022.
2022 was a disappointment at the plate, but he had a .359 OBP and .759 OPS in the previous 6 seasons.
Robbie Grossman excels against lefties with a career .279 batting average and .377 OBP.
Cons
Hasn’t hit over .241 since 2019.
Strikes out too much for a non-power hitter.
Another negative defensive player.
Wil Myers – OF/1B/3B – 32 – R
2022 San Diego: 77 games, .261/.315/.298/.713, 41 RBI
Pros
Checks the boxes for positions the M’s need help.
Wil Myers has good speed and doesn’t hit into many double plays.
OPS+ over 100 in 8 of 10 MLB seasons.
Cons
Another high strikeout guy at the plate.
Doesn’t dominate lefties as much as one would think. Has only a .754 career OPS vs. lefty starters.
A good option to platoon with Kelenic. After making $22.5M, will he take the pay cut required of a part-time player?
If the M’s go in this direction, it’s a matter of how much they want to pay. Pollock and Myers are the best options, but the players may have to swallow some pride and play for much less than they have in the past. Grossman and Pham aren’t bad players for the Seattle Mariners to fall back on.
Next: Page 3 – Utility Men, a Lefty Reliever, and a Division Changer
Jurickson Profar – LF/2B/SS – 30 – S
2022 San Diego: 152 games, 244/.331/722, 82 runs scored.
Pros
Jurikson Profar can play any position on the field.
Switch hitter.
Decent speed on the bases.
Cons
Doesn’t hit much, with a .234 career batting average (.198 at Safeco) and .264 batting average on balls in play.
Versatile defender but not particularly good at an any position.
The Seattle Mariners already have Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty. Jurickson Profar would be redundant