Seattle Mariners, Evan White.
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.
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.
Question: What do you get when you cross a long, pretty swing with a lack of contact? Answer: Evan White at the plate. He’s had 366 at-bats in the show and produced a career .165 batting average and .544 OPS. Major League pitching has the Seattle Mariners 2017 first-round pick bewildered. He’s a cross between Mario Mendoza overmatched by a fastball and Pedro Cerrano flailing at a curve.
White is a Gold Glove first baseman and could be the best since J.T. Snow. Unfortunately, he plays a position that MLB teams depend on for offensive production, and that’s what France gave the Seattle Mariners when he took over at first base. The outstanding defense he provided there was an added bonus.
Coming back from his hip injury is one thing; expecting him to suddenly become a big-league hitter when he never has before is another. The M’s are stuck with him and his salary, even if he gets Designated for Assignment sometime in the future.
White’s not as cheap as you think. This year his $1.4M counts as $4M against the luxury tax, and it jumps up significantly over the next few seasons.
He’s a sunk cost. Seattle Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto rolled the dice, and now that deal is untradeable, the way it’s structured. White costs more every year with no production. He’s a little old to expect the light to go on offensively.
With White healthy and able to hit, France could play some second and third well as first base, depending on any offseason deals. Both White and France could DH when not playing first.
White could play left field as well, then, in the late innings, move over first base for defense and give France rest. It is a long season, so giving France time off on occasion, even for an inning or two, would help.
It is certainly a good problem to have if White does hit.
When it comes to White, it all depends on if he can hit or not. Don’t assume that he continues to struggle at the plate. Which, to be fair, is in the realm of possible outcomes. If White does hit, he’s probably the starting LF. If not, then he’s a defensive replacement for France.
It’s possible that White gets included in a trade since Dipoto has said he’d be open to taking a bad contract in order to get a young stud/prospect (something like Mike Moustakas and Hunter Greene); White might have to be included for salary purposes. I’m not saying White is the centerpiece of a deal, but maybe a kicker or someone who can balance the financials.
What’s your take on Seattle Mariners’ first baseman Evan White? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.