Seattle Mariners: Examining the Evan White Dilemma
PNWS Staff
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With Ty France entrenched at first base, What do the Seattle Mariners do with Evan White? We asked our writers.
The Seattle Mariners have a complex situation at first base. Last season Ty France slashed .291/.368/.445 as the regular first baseman. The job became his after the M’s lost 2020 Gold Glove winner Evan White for the year with a hip injury.
What makes the situation complicated is that Seattle has a big financial investment in White. Even when healthy, he’s struggled mightily a the dish, hitting .176 in 2020 and .144 before his 2021 season ended in May.
So the Mariners are in a bit of a problem. Their money is tied up in a player returning from a season-ending injury, who is a top-tier fielder but can’t produce with his bat. Meanwhile, they have another player who can hit and plays defense at a high level.
What do the Seattle Mariners do with Evan White when he comes back next spring? PNWS asked that to our baseball writers; this is what they said.
Joe Swenson
I’m all over the place with regard to White. It’s all about France, though. He’s the odd duck on the team for sure. No real spot for him unless he forces the issue.
Even if White is a solution in the outfield, that lasts about as long as Taylor Trammell‘s audition. Especially with Julio Rodriguez on the doorstep, Kyle Lewis hopefully back at some point, and Jarred Kelenic and Mitch Haniger entrenched. The outfield is about to be stacked, and there is no spot for White.
France has tremendous hands, and while he’s a minor step behind White defensively, France is a huge asset in the line-up. That leaves White without a spot. He’s great defensively, but his offense is so bad that he can’t DH and can’t pinch-hit. Realistically, White has no value as a bench piece unless he proves that he can hit.