Seattle Mariners: What to do with Jose Marmolejos in 2021
Just hit baby
The South Florida native recently caught a break in his quest to earn a roster spot when the Seattle Mariners lost Phil Ervin and Tim Lopes to waiver claims. Both Ervin and Lopes were also contenders for the third outfield spot. Marmelojos is no defensive wizard in the outfield but he wasn’t the worst outfielder the M’s have seen in recent years either. That honor goes to Domingo Santana who looked more lost out there than a four-year-old in a food court at the mall.
It’s my opinion that Marmolejos’ future with this team is as a designated hitter. He has something going for him that the Seattle Mariners need, a left-handed bat with power. Jose may not be in the mold of Edgar Martinez or David Ortiz in terms of typical DH productivity. But, I believe Marmolejos can be an Adrian Gonzalez type DH. He’ll hit for a good average, with respectable HR and RBI totals.
As previously mentioned, should White’s struggles hitting major league pitching continue, Jose could be the team’s opening day first baseman. If he does play there, Marmelojos has a good enough bat to keep the job for a while. He may not be everyone’s first choice for playing first base but then that was the same thinking for the starting left field spot.
The best thing Marmolejos can do is get off to a hot start in spring training and carry it over into the regular season. His hit stick is his calling card. All he has to do is continue with what got him to the Majors in the first place, hit. That wins him a place on the Mariners Opening Day roster.
Do you think Jose Marmolejos has a role with the Seattle Mariners in 2021? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.