The Seattle Mariners are heading into spring training with something they haven’t had in a long time: real expectations. After making the deepest playoff push in franchise history last season, they’re no longer just a team on the rise - they’re one of the early favorites to represent the American League in the World Series. And for the most part, they’re running it back with a roster that already proved it can contend.
That said, this isn’t a carbon copy of last year’s squad. There were some notable departures over the offseason.
Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suárez - two key infield bats - left via free agency. But the Mariners didn’t stand pat.
They brought in Brendan Donovan, a versatile infielder who’s expected to take over at third base on Opening Day. They also added veteran outfielder Rob Refsnyder and left-handed reliever Jose A.
Ferrer to help round out the roster.
So, the big question: Did Seattle do enough to take that final step?
MLB Network insider Jon Morosi weighed in on that very topic during a recent appearance on Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob, and he zeroed in on one area of concern - the bullpen.
“Have they addressed enough of the bullpen to fortify that part of the club?” Morosi asked. “That might actually be my one question.”
It’s a fair point. Bullpens are notoriously volatile year to year, and while Seattle has been one of the better teams in recent seasons at developing relief talent, it’s always a bit of a moving target.
The good news? This is a front office - led by president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander - that’s shown a knack for finding value in under-the-radar arms.
So even if the bullpen isn’t a finished product today, there’s confidence it can be built out as the season unfolds.
Still, the Mariners aren’t starting from scratch. In fact, they’ve got a solid core of high-leverage arms already in place.
Right-hander Matt Brash and lefty Gabe Speier were both key contributors last season, and two-time All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz remains the anchor at the back end. Righty Eduard Bazardo, coming off a breakout 2025 campaign, is another name to watch.
And with the addition of Ferrer - a lefty with intriguing upside - Seattle has five of the eight bullpen spots in good shape.
That leaves three open roles, and this spring will be all about sorting through the candidates.
There’s a mix of returning arms and fresh faces vying for those final spots. Right-handers Carlos Vargas, Casey Legumina, and Emerson Hancock all spent time with the big-league club last year, while Troy Taylor - who flashed as a rookie in 2024 but struggled in limited action last season - is looking to bounce back and earn a bullpen role.
Then there’s the group of lesser-known arms - the kind of players Seattle has quietly turned into contributors in recent years. That list includes right-handers Cole Wilcox, Yosver Zulueta, Alex Hoppe, Blas Castaño, and Domingo González, along with lefty Robinson Ortiz.
Zulueta, in particular, is a name to keep an eye on. The 28-year-old was acquired in a January trade with the Reds and brings the most big-league experience of the group.
He logged 23 2/3 innings over 19 games across the 2024 and 2025 seasons and fits the mold of the power reliever Seattle tends to favor. He’s got a mid-90s sinker and a four-seamer that averaged 98.1 mph last year, plus a nasty slider that earned a 121 stuff+ grade in 2024 and a 115 in 2025, per FanGraphs.
For context, Muñoz’s slider - one of the nastiest in the game - graded out at 119 last season.
Of course, any bullpen is only as strong as its health. If Muñoz, Speier, or Bazardo come out of the World Baseball Classic showing signs of fatigue after long 2025 workloads, that could shift the equation quickly. But that’s a concern every contending team shares this time of year.
Bottom line: the Mariners are in a good spot. Their bullpen isn’t a finished product, but it doesn’t need to be in February. They’ve got a solid foundation, a proven front office that knows how to find bullpen help, and a roster that’s already shown it can go toe-to-toe with the best in the league.
Now it’s about finding those final pieces - and maybe uncovering the next hidden gem in the process.