Mariners Keep Reshaping Roster As Another Veteran Heads Out

Veteran player Miles Mastrobuoni, a key contributor to the Mariners' 2025 division triumph, explores new opportunities after opting for free agency amidst Seattle's search for leadership.

Miles Mastrobuoni is heading back to free agency after being outrighted off the Seattle Mariners’ 40-man roster, according to MLBTradeRumors.

The veteran utility man, now 30 and set to turn 31 on Oct. 31, spent parts of two seasons in Seattle and has logged pieces of five big-league years overall with the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs and Mariners. His calling card has always been flexibility. Mastrobuoni can cover just about anywhere on the diamond, and that made him a useful piece for the M’s when they needed coverage across the roster.

In 2025, he was part of the Mariners team that won the American League West, getting into 76 games and batting .250 with 12 RBIs. He also went deep against the Houston Astros. On defense that season, he showed up all over the field for Seattle, handling third base, second base, right field, left field, first base and even pitcher.

This year told a different story. Mastrobuoni’s 2026 campaign got off to a late start after he injured his calf in the World Baseball Classic while playing for Team Italy.

He appeared in only 13 games for the Mariners and hit .192. At Triple-A Tacoma, he got into 56 games and hit .247 with three homers and 24 RBIs.

For his career, Mastrobuoni is a .228 hitter with two home runs and 22 stolen bases.

There’s also a wrinkle tied to the looming lockout: players on MLB 40-man rosters won’t be able to play, even if minor league games continue. If Mastrobuoni lands a minor league deal elsewhere, he’d be eligible to play in the minors during a lockout.

Meanwhile, Seattle’s managerial search continues into Week 4 since the end of the 2026 season. The Mariners are scheduled to interview former Astros manager Joe Espada, and they’re also interested in former Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli.

In Other News...

Mariners May Have A Surprise Left Field Option Emerging

Randy Arozarenas strong season put him in line for free agency, which leaves the Mariners staring at one of the more interesting holes on the roster heading into the winter. Seattle has some in-house and external possibilities to consider for left field, with Michael Arroyo and Brendan Donovan among the major league names in the mix while the organization also looks at younger options that could help fill the production Arozarena brought to the lineup.

One of the more intriguing possibilities is Boston Smith, a catching prospect who has impressed offensively in the minors and has also been getting a look in left field. Seattle acquired Smith in a trade earlier this year, and his ability to handle another position only adds to the appeal as the Mariners sort through how to replace Arozarenas bat and decide whether a surprise internal option might be ready for a larger role. [Read more 🡒]

Brandon Woodruffs World Series Status Just Got Very Interesting

The Mariners managerial search is starting to take shape, and it has already landed on a familiar name with a deep player development background. Seattle has been tied to Rocco Baldelli as it looks to fill the vacancy, a reminder that the organization could lean toward someone with experience handling a clubhouse and navigating the modern game from the dugout rather than just a splashy outsider.

Baldelli is not the only name in the mix, but the list has been pretty quiet beyond him, which only adds to the intrigue around how the Mariners want to define this hire. With the front office still sorting through options, the direction of the search feels important for a club trying to set a steadier course, and Baldellis candidacy gives the process a little more shape even if the final answer is still out there. [Read more 🡒]

Mariners Offseason Math Could Force A Painful Roster Decision

The Mariners are heading into an offseason where the accounting could matter as much as the lineup card. With payroll already projected at about $135.9 million before any additions, Seattle is looking at roughly $30 million to $40 million in room for the 2027 winter, and that has to cover a roster with important free-agent decisions ahead and a cluster of arbitration-eligible players who will need to be paid.

That kind of squeeze is why the front office may have to think uncomfortably about dealing from the rotation to create flexibility. Any move of that sort would need to solve more than one problem at once, because Seattle cannot afford to trade away a premium arm unless the return is an established, controllable hitter who can help right away and beyond just the coming season. [Read more 🡒]