The Mariners’ biggest offseason problem for 2027 isn’t hard to spot anymore. It starts with a simple test: can the guy in front of you field a ground ball and make the out?
Seattle would love to add another bat, and that still belongs on the list. But the way this team keeps giving away extra outs has become the kind of flaw that no lineup upgrade can fully cover.
The defense is stretching innings, and the standings in the advanced metrics are brutal. Entering play Sunday, Sept. 20, the Mariners were last in MLB at -53 Outs Above Average and -52 Fielding Run Value.
Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the Rockies put the issue on full display. The Mariners built a 3-0 lead with home runs from Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena, and Bryce Miller gave them 5 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
That should have been enough. Instead, the defense opened the door.
Jake McCarthy reached on a bunt single in the third and eventually scored without Colorado getting another hit in the inning. Raleigh was charged with one error after a wide throw to first, and Dominic Canzone picked up another on a relay play that let McCarthy score.
Later, in the seventh, Weston Wilson bobbled a two-out grounder and didn’t record an out. TJ Rumfield then sent a chopper between J.P.
Crawford and Michael Arroyo, and a shallow fly ball in center dropped after that, bringing home two more runs.
Colorado didn’t need a huge night at the plate. Seattle simply couldn’t finish plays.
That’s been the theme all year, and it’s the reason the offseason conversation has to start in the infield. Shortstop is the obvious place to begin.
Colt Emerson should have the clearest path there in spring training once his surgically repaired left wrist is ready. Seattle gave him an eight-year, $95 million deal because it views him as the long-term answer, and the rest of the infield should be built with that in mind.
J.P. Crawford’s contract runs out after 2026, so a return probably isn’t in the cards.
If the Mariners think he can handle third base or a more defined multi-position role, that’s a discussion worth having. If the plan is another full season with Crawford at shortstop while Emerson waits, the fit has already gone stale.
Second base has at least given Seattle something to feel good about with Cole Young, but the rest of the picture is still muddy. The club needs a real read on how Brendan Donovan and Michael Arroyo fit.
“Versatility” has become the favorite word in the building when no one wants to call a starter. Young looks settled at the keystone, Donovan is under club control through 2027 and can move all over the diamond, and Arroyo is still in the early stages of his major-league chance, though he can play second and left field.
If the Mariners wanted to swing bigger, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the ceiling play. He brings power, speed and strong defense, with +9 Outs Above Average. He also looks like the kind of investment Seattle would probably pass on, even if he’s a strong fit on paper.
Mauricio Dubón is the cleaner floor option. He’s a two-time Gold Glove utility player with experience at shortstop, second, third and all three outfield spots. His bat has never been the selling point, but he would raise the defense and give the roster another reliable piece.
The ideal version of this offseason would include one everyday addition from the Chisholm or Brandon Lowe tier, plus a true defender like Dubón behind him. That’s the path if Seattle decides to shop outside the organization. It still doesn’t feel like the most likely priority, but the need is clear.
In Other News...
Mariners Face A Painful Reckoning As Season Slips Away
The Mariners got the start they wanted against Colorado, with Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena both going deep early to give Seattle a quick cushion. But once that early burst faded, the offense never found another answer, and the game slowly shifted into one of those September losses that feels bigger than a single night.
A shaky defensive stretch and late relief issues opened the door for the Rockies to rally and leave Seattle with a 5-3 loss, one that tightens the noose in both the American League West and Wild Card races. Depending on how the next slate of games goes, the Mariners could be looking at elimination soon, which is a harsh place to be after a night that started with so much promise. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Tough Shortstop Call After Colt Emerson Setback
As the Mariners stare at the possibility of being pushed out of playoff contention, the front office is already looking ahead to the winter and one of its trickiest decisions. Shortstop is at the center of that planning, with Colt Emerson still tied into the organization long term but coming off a rookie season that did not go as hoped and then a wrist surgery that only adds to the uncertainty around his readiness for Opening Day.
Seattle is expected to explore veteran help at the position this offseason, mostly for the defensive stability it could bring, but the market does not offer many easy answers. Any move there would also ripple back onto Emersons path, because a shortstop addition would shape how quickly the Mariners can keep leaning on the young infielder as he tries to reset his stock and reclaim his place in the infield picture. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Have Found Something Huge In Kade Anderson
Kade Anderson gave the Mariners exactly the kind of boost they have been hunting for, delivering the best start of his career in a 2-1 win over the Rockies. The rookie right-hander worked seven scoreless innings, struck out seven and gave Seattle a clean, efficient outing while the offense did just enough with runs in the fourth and sixth innings to build a small cushion.
Seattle still had to sweat it late after Colorado got on the board with a home run, and the game got even shakier when Andrs Muoz left because of injury. Eduard Bazardo handled the final outs to close it down, but the bigger question now is whether Andersons latest outing was simply a strong night or the start of something much more important for a Mariners staff that could use another reliable arm. [Read more 🡒]