The Mariners have a long offseason wish list, but Eugenio Suárez belongs near the top of it.
That idea may sound familiar, because it is. Back at the end of August, when Suárez landed on waivers with the Reds, the case for Seattle to jump in was already pretty simple: a player the organization knows well, a relatively modest price tag, and a real chance to add some pop to a team that was supposed to be contending.
The Mariners passed then. Suárez kept going, and the season ended in a way that only sharpened the regret.
Seattle stumbled to a 76-86 finish, a record that landed among the most disappointing in franchise history. Suárez, meanwhile, caught fire down the stretch. Over the final two months, he posted an .886 OPS and a 141 wRC+, a reminder that there was still plenty left in the bat.
The numbers this season don’t scream star. His overall line wasn’t eye-popping, and his run with the Mariners after the trade from Arizona at the end of July didn’t leave a huge statistical footprint either.
But Suárez has always been more than a spreadsheet entry. He can change a game in one swing, and the clearest example came in Game 5 of the 2025 ALCS against the Blue Jays, when he launched a grand slam.
A glorious memory, yes - and a painful one, too, given how that series ended.
What also keeps Suárez in the conversation is everything that travels with him beyond the box score. He is widely liked inside and outside the Mariners’ orbit, and that kind of personality matters.
He brings energy, and it tends to spread. It’s the kind of presence that can lift a clubhouse, and Seattle has reached the playoffs only twice since 2001 - with Suárez on both rosters.
Cost matters, of course. But that is where this becomes even more interesting.
If Suárez can be had in the seven-figure range, he starts to look like a useful fit as a platoon option at third base and designated hitter. He hit just .212 this season, but he still drove 26 home runs in 434 at-bats, which tells you the power hasn’t disappeared.
There are a lot of holes for the Mariners to fill this winter, but adding a player who is beloved in Seattle and still capable of impact should not be hard to justify. Charlie Wright of MLB Trade Rumors noted the thin group of available right-handed DH options in free agency, and that only strengthens the case.
Suárez and the Mariners fit each other. At this point, another reunion almost feels inevitable.
In Other News...
Mariners Manager Search Just Got Tougher Before A Huge Deadline
The Mariners managerial search has taken another turn as the club works toward a late-October decision, with the front office still trying to settle on the right voice for the dugout. Rocco Baldelli had been viewed as a notable possibility after his time managing the Twins and his current role as a Dodgers special assistant, which made him a meaningful name in the process as Seattle sorts through its options.
Baldelli is no longer in the running, though, and his exit leaves the Mariners with a smaller pool as the deadline approaches. Joe Espada and Jason Kanzler remain among the reported candidates, and Seattle is still aiming to have its choice made by October 31, a timetable that suddenly looks a lot more important with another prominent name off the board. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Naylor Is Becoming Something Bigger Than A Mariners First Baseman
Josh Naylors place in Seattle no longer feels limited to what happens between first base and the batters box. Since arriving in a 2025 trade from Arizona, he has settled in as a familiar face around the city, showing up at Seattle sporting events and even taking in Kraken games like someone already deep into the local fabric. The commitment on the field matched the buy-in off it, and the Mariners clearly saw enough to make the relationship a long-term one.
The fit has only grown more interesting because Naylor is coming off an offseason wrist surgery tied to an issue from the 2026 season, a reminder that his next chapter will be shaped by both health and expectation. After his first full year in Seattle, his batting line gave the Mariners reason to believe the offense can keep benefiting from his presence, but the broader story is the way hes quickly become more than just another name in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Have One Award Race That Could Define Their Offseason
Cole Youngs first full big-league season has already put him in line for some notable recognition, with the Mariners infielder landing among the finalists for a major defensive honor at second base. It is the kind of development Seattle has been hoping to see from a young player who quickly became part of the everyday conversation around the club, especially on a roster that continues to value run prevention as much as anything.
Randy Arozarena is also expected to factor into award season as a Silver Slugger finalist and a candidate for the All-MLB Teams, while Luke Raley gives the Mariners another name in the mix as their finalist for the Heart & Hustle Award. The winners will be announced in early November, and for Seattle, these nods are more than just hardware talk - they are a reminder that this offseason could start with the organization learning which parts of its core are getting leaguewide validation. [Read more 🡒]