The Mariners could use a right-handed bat, but Seiya Suzuki may already be slipping out of reach.
Seattle’s offseason shopping list is a long one, and a reliable hitter from the right side sits near the top after the club ranked 22nd in team batting average from that side of the plate. Suzuki looks like the kind of fit that makes immediate sense: a proven bat, a strong outfield presence, and a player who just finished the best all-around season of his five-year major league career with a career-high 5.1 bWAR.
But there’s a problem for the Mariners. According to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, citing a league source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Blue Jays are expected to pursue Suzuki this offseason. Bannon also pointed out that the five-time NPB All-Star’s .841 OPS would have led all qualifying Toronto hitters by nearly 80 points.
That kind of interest changes the picture fast. If Canada’s only Major League team really does make a run at Suzuki, Seattle suddenly looks like the team chasing from behind.
Money could decide this one, and that is where the Mariners face an obvious disadvantage. Seattle’s Opening Day payroll was a franchise high this season, but it still ranked 16th in the majors.
Toronto, by contrast, finished fifth. Only one of those teams has a reputation for spending freely in free agency, and it isn’t the one in the Pacific Northwest.
Suzuki is not expected to easily top the five-year, $85 million contract he signed with the Cubs in 2022. Still, if the Blue Jays decide he is their target, they have the kind of ownership support to push the price higher. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 14-year, $500 million extension last April is the clearest sign of that backing.
Seattle has had Suzuki on its radar before. Back in June, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reported that the Mariners would likely have considered a Suzuki-for-Luis Castillo type of deal, and there had been prior talks with the Cubs about Castillo trade scenarios that made the idea seem more realistic.
That path never materialized, and the Mariners weren’t exactly hurting after sending Castillo and the remainder of his contract to the White Sox and receiving Boston Smith as part of a strong return package. Even so, Suzuki still feels like the sort of player Seattle would like to land. If the Blue Jays get involved and the bidding starts climbing, though, the Mariners may be looking at a race they can’t win.
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