Early Look: 5 free agent bats for the Mariners to target

Aug 19, 2024, 8:00 AM | Updated: 8:20 am

Seattle Mariners trade target Anthony Santander...

Anthony Santander of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates an AL home run during the 2024 MLB All-Star Game. (Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

(Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

BY ZAC HERETH

Seattle Sports

Regardless of whether or not they can right the ship down the stretch, the Seattle Mariners will enter the upcoming offseason with holes to fill in their anemic offense.

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The bats have continued to be a weak point for the Mariners in 2024, which has resulted in a major slide that’s seen the team go from 10 games up in the American League West to a season-worst four games back despite possessing the best starting pitching staff in baseball.

The struggles were on full display this past week, including squandering back-to-back outings of seven shutout innings from starters Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller against the Detroit Tigers.

The upcoming free agent market could offers some answers for Seattle, although it isn’t the strongest class for bats. Here’s an early look at five free agents hitters, plus two players who could opt-out of deals, the Mariners could target to bolster their offense:

Christian Walker, 1B

The plan at first base beyond 2024 is unclear after the departure of Ty France. Veteran Justin Turner’s contract expires after the season, leaving Luke Raley and Tyler Locklear as the potential internal options going forward. Those two could make up a platoon at first, but Seattle could get someone it could pencil in the lineup everyday in Walker, who will be 34 years old at the start of next season.

Walker is on pace for his third consecutive season with a 120 OPS+ plus or higher, has good on-base skills and has slugged 92 home runs since the start of the 2022 season, which is tied with Texas’ Corey Seager for the 11th most in the league. He’s also one of the best defenders in the game at the position and has won two consecutive Gold Gloves.

Walker’s age may keep the cost and amount of years on a contract reasonable for a player with his track record, but it also presents risk. He could be showing some signs of decline this season with a strikeout rate that’s climbed up to 24.7% after being under 20% the past two seasons.

Anthony Santander, OF/DH

Santander is having the best full season in what’s been a productive career at the plate. He was an All-Star for the first time this season and will be one of the most sought-after bats in free agency. The slugging switch-hitter already has 36 home runs and is sporting a 136 OPS+ this season. Like Walker, he’s on track for his third consecutive campaign with a 120 OPS+ or higher, and he ranks seventh in baseball with 97 home runs since the start of 2022.

Santander turns 30 after this season and would seem to be a solid candidate for an extension with Baltimore, but the Orioles generally don’t spent a lot and could very well move on from the outfielder due to the wealth of hitting talent in their organization.

The Mariners’ 2025 outfield looks crowded at the moment with Julio Rodríguez, Randy Arozarena, Victor Robles, Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone (and likely Mitch Haniger) all slated to be in the mix. That could certainly change in the offseason, though. Santander has also played 12 career games at first base, all in 2023.

Alex Bregman, 3B

After years of hearing boos rain down on him at T-Mobile Park, there’s a good chance Bregman wouldn’t want to come to Seattle, and there’s probably many fans that wouldn’t like to see it, too. But Bregman would bring offensive production the Mariners are lacking at third base, a low strikeout rate the lineup could really use and a whole lot of experience playing meaningful baseball in September and beyond.

The 30-year-old Bregman is on pace for his ninth straight season with an OPS+ of 113 or higher and third straight with over 20 home runs. His strikeout has also ranked in the 90th percentile or better in each season since 2018.

Bregman is client of super agent Scott Boras and will likely be a costly add. It’s also worth considering how his bat will play with 81 games at T-Mobile Park rather than 81 with the short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park. His career .725 OPS in Seattle is third-worst among the 17 ballparks he has played at least 10 games in.

Pete Alonso, 1B

Alonso was a rumored trade candidate for the Mariners before the deadline, but stayed put in New York as the Mets kept themselves right in the thick of the crowded NL wild card race. Heading into his age-30 season, the slugging first baseman would be a younger option with more power than Walker, although the latter is a more complete hitter.

Alonso has the type of power that would still play as a right-handed batter at T-Mobile Park. He has hit 40 or more home runs three times, led the league with 53 homers as a rookie in 2019 and has the most home runs (219) in baseball since his debut, all while playing half his games at pitcher friendly Citi Field. He’s also been around league average when it comes to strikeouts over the past few seasons.

The four-time All-Star is also a Boras client, so expect a big price tag.

Juan Soto, OF

The chances that the Mariners sign Soto are probably about as slim as they get, but there’s no arguing that the best pure hitter in baseball wouldn’t greatly help the lineup. An outfield of Soto, Rodríguez and Arozarena with Robles as the fourth member would be a candidate for the best in the league.

The 25-year-old Soto is a four-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner and had four top-10 MVP finishes in his first eight seasons. He’s on track for his eighth straight season with at least a 140 OPS+, has led the league in walks four times and has an absurd .287/.423/.536 career slash line.

Again, Seattle is a very unlikely landing place for Soto (another Boras client), but the team could use his bat more than any who are in the same sort of competitive window the Mariners are.

Two wait-and-see candidates

Looking at the free agent market this early comes with the caveat of not knowing which players with options on their contract will become available. Two players the Mariners could target are San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman and San Diego middle infielder Ha-Seong Kim.

Chapman was a desired target of many Mariners fans this past offseason. He signed a four-year deal with the Giants, but has the ability to opt-out of his contract after this season or next. The four-time Gold Glove winner is one the game’s best defenders at his position and is on track to post his sixth season with an OPS+ of 111. He’s slashing .245/.335/.439 with 31 doubles, 19 home runs and 61 RBIs this season.

Kim has a mutual option with the Padres after this season. The 2023 Gold Glove winner brings strong defense up the middle and has been around a league average bat the past three seasons. He could take over at second base and give the Mariners more insurance behind J.P. Crawford at shortstop.