The Seattle Mariners are already testing the market, and the most interesting part is where they’re looking: starting pitching.
Buster Olney of ESPN said the Mariners are “poking around,” gathering information on what they might be able to get back if they decide to move a starter. That comes as Major League Baseball’s offseason gets rolling and Seattle tries to build a better team for 2027 after finishing 76-86 in 2026.
The clock is working against them. The Mariners have roughly a month to get something done before the offseason is expected to shut down for the probable MLB lockout, which begins on Dec. 1 at 9 p.m. PT.
Seattle has plenty on its plate. The bullpen needs help.
The roster needs more athleticism. The defense has to get much better.
And the offense has holes after Randy Arozarena and JP Crawford hit free agency.
Free agency alone probably won’t cover all of that, which is why the trade market looms so large. That’s been a familiar path for Jerry Dipoto’s front office, which has landed players like Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker, Jorge Polanco, Josh Naylor, Brendan Donovan and Suarez again since 2022.
If the Mariners are going to make a move, starting pitching is the obvious place to begin. But each name comes with a different complication.
Logan Gilbert has just one year of team control left, and that makes him a tough sell in a market clouded by the possibility that 2027 could be lost or heavily altered because of the lockout. Another team may not want to give up premium talent for a one-year player under those conditions, at least not before the lockout is resolved.
George Kirby is a little more appealing with two years left, but the same uncertainty hangs over him. Olney has also noted on the “ Refuse to Lose Territory ” podcast that a new CBA could trim team control from six years to five. If that happens, Kirby’s value changes too, even if that outcome isn’t guaranteed.
Then there’s the longer-term group: Bryce Miller, Emerson Hancock, Kade Anderson and Bryan Woo. Each has at least three years of control remaining, but that doesn’t mean Seattle wants to deal them.
Woo and Anderson carry major upside, and moving Miller now could mean selling low. Hancock is the other possible name to watch if the Mariners try to address part of their wish list through a trade.
Ryan Sloan is also in the organization, and he’s regarded as one of the best prospects in baseball. Still, it doesn’t sound likely that Seattle would part with him.
If the Mariners decide not to move a starter, prospects could become the currency instead. Laz Montes and Michael Arroyo both remain in the MLB Pipeline Top 100, and Felnin Celesten is another intriguing infielder who could draw interest. Whether those pieces are enough to bring back the kind of impact Seattle needs is the real question if the goal is to get back to World Series contender status.
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