The door officially closed on a Eugenio Suárez reunion in Seattle this week, but it didn’t swing shut without making some noise. The veteran slugger is heading back to where it all began, signing a one-year, $15 million deal with the Cincinnati Reds.
That’s one more infield option off the board for the Mariners, who’ve spent much of the offseason searching for upgrades at both third base and second. But don’t count them out of the action just yet.
President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto made it clear during the team’s “Hot Stove” show on Seattle Sports that the Mariners aren’t done. “There’s one more move that’s in us, that we want to make,” Dipoto said. “We’ve been grinding hard for the last handful of days to see if we can bring it through, and hopefully we do.”
That’s not just front office speak. There’s real intent behind those words.
The Mariners believe they’re close - and after a strong 2025 campaign that ended in Toronto, they’re looking to build on that momentum. Dipoto pointed to a full season of Josh Naylor and the continued development of young players like Cole Young as reasons for optimism.
Young, in particular, could be a key breakout candidate in 2026.
General Manager Justin Hollander echoed that sense of urgency, telling reporters it’s “certainly” possible the team adds a bat this week. While he didn’t name names, there’s been no shortage of smoke around Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan. The Mariners have been linked to the left-handed hitter for over a year, and the fit remains as strong as ever.
Donovan checks a lot of boxes. He’s 29, under team control for two more seasons, and brings a versatile glove that can handle second, third, or left field.
Offensively, he’s a contact-first hitter with a career slash line of .282/.361/.411 - and one of the toughest outs in the league when it comes to strikeouts. That kind of profile fits beautifully into a Mariners lineup that could use a steady on-base presence.
Still, Donovan isn’t the only path forward. The Mariners have multiple areas where they could look to upgrade, and Hollander emphasized that the team is keeping an “open mind” about how to improve. That flexibility matters - because while the Mariners have promising young talent, there are still question marks in key spots.
Let’s start with second base. Cole Young is the frontrunner there, but his rookie campaign was a mixed bag - a .211/.302/.305 line in 257 plate appearances.
The pedigree is there; he’s a former first-rounder and just 22 years old. But if Seattle wants to contend deep into October, they’ll need more consistent production from that spot.
Third base is another area to watch. Ben Williamson flashed solid defense but didn’t do much with the bat (.253/.294/.310 in 295 plate appearances).
Prospect Colt Emerson is one of the most exciting young players in the system - a top-20 talent across the league - but he’s only 20 and has just six Triple-A games under his belt. He could be an option later in the season, but asking him to carry the load early would be a stretch.
Then there’s the designated hitter and right field mix, where Seattle is currently leaning on a blend of Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley, and Cal Raleigh (when he’s not behind the plate). Canzone impressed in 82 games last year, hitting .300/.358/.481, but he benefited from a sky-high .354 BABIP and doesn’t have a long track record. Raley, meanwhile, battled injuries and inconsistency but has shown flashes of being a dangerous lefty bat when healthy.
Right field remains a bit of a question mark, too. Victor Robles turned heads late in 2024, but injuries limited him to just 114 plate appearances, and his .245/.281/.330 line leaves plenty of room for improvement.
Rob Refsnyder, a recent free agent addition, adds depth and experience, but he’s not a long-term fix. There’s still room - and arguably a need - for another outfield bat.
That’s why Seattle’s flexibility is so valuable right now. They’re not locked into just one position or one type of player.
They could target an infielder like Donovan, or pivot to a bat-first option who could rotate through DH and corner outfield spots. The trade market still has some intriguing names floating around - think CJ Abrams (Nationals), Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu (Red Sox), or Mark Vientos and Brett Baty (Mets).
And while the free agent pool is thinning, there are still some notable names available, including Miguel Andujar, Rhys Hoskins, Nathaniel Lowe, and Marcell Ozuna.
Financially, the Mariners have some wiggle room. Their projected Opening Day payroll sits around $157 million - about $10 million more than last year’s Opening Day figure, but still just shy of the franchise’s all-time high of $158 million set back in 2018. Considering the team’s postseason run and clear win-now mindset, it wouldn’t be surprising to see ownership greenlight a new record.
At this point, it’s not a matter of if the Mariners will make another move - it’s when and who. They’ve built a roster with a strong foundation, but they know it’s not quite finished.
Whether it’s Donovan or someone else, expect Seattle to stay aggressive. They’re not just trying to make the playoffs - they’re trying to make noise once they get there.
