Seattle Mariners: The M’s most important player in 2022 is…
The Seattle Mariners should contend for the American League Playoffs in 2022. Who is their most important player?
2022 is an important season for the Seattle Mariners. The rebuild is over, and the team should contend for not only a playoff spot but an American League West title. It takes a team effort to reach the next level, but there is always a catalyst. The one guy whose success trickles down to his teammates, and without him, the team falters.
We asked our Pacific Northwest Sports contributors who they think is the Seattle Mariners’ most important player in 2022. Stepping up to answer are Andrew Elerbaum, Chip Clark, Chris Phillips, Clint Prasky, Ed Stein, and Joe Swenson.
Kyle Lewis (Chip and Clint)
Chip: I’m going with Kyle Lewis. He only played in 32 games last year due to knee injuries. Among Seattle players with 140 or more plate appearances, he was fourth in On-Base Percentage (.333) and OPS (.726). He did that at far less than 100 percent.
If the Seattle Mariners had 500+ at-bats from K-Lew in 2021, he could have been the difference between the M’s watching the playoffs on TV with a 90-62 record and them participating in them at 92-60.
Aside from what the Seattle Mariners get out of Lewis’ production, there are more reasons why he is so important to his team. Just having K-Lew in the lineup protects other hitters. It’s hard to believe other teams pitch around Haniger or Kelenic to get to him. That gives both him and his teammates more opportunities to drive in runs. Additionally, Lewis’ fielding is rock solid giving Seattle one of the league’s best outfield defenses.
Now, if he could just cut down on those strikeouts.
Clint: I think Kyle Lewis could be the lynchpin. If he can come back post-all-star break and be the K-Lew from September 2020, then that is like a successful trade deadline addition of an all-star caliber bat for the stretch run. Lewis is a plus power bat with good defense with decent potential to add 15-20 home runs during the playoff push. It would be similar to 1995 when Ken Griffey Jr. came back and helped get Seattle to the playoffs.