Seattle Mariners: Who’s the better addition so far?

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May 30, 2022
Seattle Mariners

In the spring, the Seattle Mariners made a big trade with Cincinnati. With just over a quarter of the 2022 season down, it’s time to look at how they’re performing in the Pacific Northwest.

During free agency, the Seattle Mariners were looking for a power bat and a lefty bat. If they could land a player that fits both criteria, great. If not, they would be good with getting two players to check off those boxes. Then to the surprise of almost everyone, GM Jerry Dipoto checked those boxes in one move.

The Seattle Mariners traded pitchers Justin Dunn, Brandon Williamson, outfielder Jake Fraley, and a player to be named later for outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suarez. The M’s got a big power bat in Suarez and a good lefty power bat in Winker. Most Mariners fans thought the all-or-nothing swinger and defensive liability Suarez was the price to get Winker.

By the Numbers

But is that actually true? Maybe the price for acquiring Suarez was to also take Winker, who can only produce in Cincinnati’s hitter-friendly ballpark. Which one is the better Seattle Mariners player? Winker’s current line is .212/.310/.288/.598. Suarez’s current line is .220/.306/.439/.745.

Aside from the near 150-point difference in OPS, there are a few other things to note. Suarez has as many home runs (9) as Winker has extra base hits (7 doubles, 2 home runs). Then again, Winker has better numbers with runners on base, especially in scoring position.

We also need to look at each player’s defensive contributions too. Winker has a .986 fielding percentage. Meanwhile, Suarez is having one of his better defensive seasons at third base, posting a .972 fielding percentage. All this goes into their WAR rating, with Winker currently having a -0.6 WAR compared to Suarez’s 1.0 WAR. That means Winker is slightly worse than a minor league replacement, and Suarez is closing in on solid starter status.

So, by a slim margin, Suarez is the better Seattle Mariners player so far. It’s not what anyone expected when this trade went down in early spring. And considering the overall depth of the M’s, most will happily take Suarez as the better performer than Winker. Suarez isn’t the player many M’s fans initially wanted but he’s the player the Seattle Mariners need.

What do you think about Mariners players Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez? Let us know in the comments section below.

 

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