Seattle Mariners comprehensive 2021 team preview
2021 Seattle Mariner Reinforcements
Offense/Defense
Mark it on your calendar. Before the AAA season begins, Jarred Kelenic will be with the Mariners. It would seem that Fraley, Bishop, and now Trammell are ahead of him in the outfield pecking order, but that’s just until Kelenic’s service time clock leads another year of team control.
Sometime between April 16th and May 7th, he will join the Mariners. Trammell will then either be sent down to the minors, start a platoon with Haniger as the veteran flips to DH, or has off-days early in the season.
Kelenic won’t be the only one to join the Mariners from the minors or the alternative site. Bishop, Fraley, and others will join the mix as injuries appear. Also, count on seeing Donovan Walton, Joey Gerber, Aaron Fletcher, Erik Swanson, and Yohan Ramirez up with the team. Kelenic, however, is the one that will force his way into the lineup.
Starting Pitching
Before the All-Star break, top pitching prospect Logan Gilbert will join the Mariners. There are others ahead of him as well. The emergency starter will be Margevicius, but LJ Newsome, Swanson, and others might see time in the Mariners 2021 rotation. George Kirby could also join the Mariners at some point this season, and it would figure to be during the dog days of summer.
Bullpen
At some point, Seattle may call on Andres Munoz. The M’s closer of the future features a 103 MPH fastball, and he strikes batters out at an astonishing clip. He’s only 22 years old, so there is plenty of time to let him recover from 2020 Tommy John surgery. While France, Torrens, and Trammell are highlights of the 2020 deadline trade with San Diego, Munoz might end up being the steal of that trade.