Salk: 6 things I’m watching at Mariners spring training

Feb 24, 2025, 12:15 AM

Host, Brock & Salk (6-10 a.m.)

Arrival in Arizona for spring training is one of my greatest pleasures every year. The warm sun, the sights and sounds of my favorite sport, the relaxed atmosphere of being away from the pressure of the regular season, and the hope that naturally accompanies (nearly) every camp for (nearly) every team.

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In those ways, this Seattle Mariners spring training is no different. The weather is ideal, the players are getting ready for the season, and hope is infectious. But it will, of course, have its own unique storylines and things to watch.

On the verge of Brock and Salk spending a week here with the club, here are six things I’ll be watching for.

Seattle Mariners storylines

1. Is there enough offense?

With arguably the best rotation in the league gearing up for another season of not only torturing opposing batters but throwing more innings than any other staff in the game, it is a constant challenge for every Mariners fan not to focus on the challenges this offense had scoring runs last season. And the season before that. And the one before that one.

It has become such an obsession that many start complaining about the offense almost like a reflex reaction. That mood wasn’t exactly altered by the quiet, near silent offseason.

But that doesn’t mean the team is automatically destined to the bottom of the offensive pack. After all, a similar group of hitters produced the 11th-most runs in 2023 (despite major inconsistencies), and we have all heard how productive the team was in the last six weeks of last season once the managerial change was made.

If the Mariners want to improve offensively in 2025, they will need some combination of four things to occur:

• Bounce-back seasons from Mitch Garver, J.P. Crawford and Jorge Polanco, or breakout seasons from the likes of Dylan Moore, Ryan Bliss or Tyler Locklear.

• An MVP-like season for Julio Rodríguez (more on this to come).

• Successful implementation of manager Dan Wilson’s aggressive gameplan with senior director of hitting strategy Edgar Martinez’s simplified approach at the plate.

• Full seasons of Randy Arozarena and Victor Robles producing at (or near) the top of their abilities.

2. Is Julio Rodríguez ready to become “The One?”

Let’s face it – Julio Rodríguez is the most talented player on this roster. When he produces, there is no problem with the offense. He makes everything work. We’ve seen it in small doses, but he has yet to put together a full season of peak performance.

Is he capable of that? I certainly believe he is. And there isn’t anyone who doubts his effort, work ethic or focus. But can he be more selective at the plate?

Julio swung at 54% of the pitches he saw last season, up from each of his previous seasons and well above the league average of 47%. He swung at 40% of first pitches, well above the league average of 30%. He chased 37% (the league was at 29%), and he wasn’t particularly successful at hitting those pitches out of the zone – he made contact on 53%, below the league average of 58%.

If he wants to become the five-tool, generational kind of star that wins championships and changes the narrative around Seattle baseball, he will need to be better and more consistent than in previous years.

3. What is the Seattle Mariners’ philosophy?

We got to see how Dan Wilson managed during a short sprint at the end of last year that just fell short of the postseason. It was a throwback style full of bunts, sacrifices, steals, aggressiveness, and playing for the single run even to the expense of the chance for a big inning. It took advantage of the skill set that players like Julio, Robles, Moore and Luke Raley possess.

What will that look like over an 162-game marathon?

For the last few decades, most of baseball has been driven by analytical data that puts a premium on power, patience, and limiting outs. This style is, in many ways, antithetical to that. The Mariners play in a unique park that suppresses scoring, and they have a tremendous rotation that doesn’t need huge scoring barrages to win most nights. If this style works in these specific conditions, it will change the future of this organization.

4. What is the level of trust and buy-in from the players?

When the Mariners fell short in 2023 after making the playoffs the previous year, the players spoke up. Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford in particular voiced disappointment about the team’s commitment to winning. Much of that frustration was placed back in the ketchup bottle before 2024 began, but how will this same group of players handle the “offseason that never really was?”

So far, the players have expressed confidence in their teammates and a belief that what they did late last season can be carried into this one. They have chosen to believe in the group that is here, and that can bond a team together. But will that hold as the season progresses? How does it affect the desire of the young stars to sign long-term deals to stay with the organization?

Those questions are yet to be answered.

5. Can the Seattle Mariners maintain pitching health?

Essentially, this is here because you can’t have a group of storylines centered on this team that doesn’t include its strength: the rotation. It is incredible. This collection of five pitchers is special and I’m psyched to watch each of them this spring and into this season.

Who will start opening day? My money is on Logan Gilbert, but any of the five would be worthy choices. They will debut and tinker with new pitches, and a few will stick and make them even better.

But among the most impressive things this group has accomplished the last few seasons has been its commitment to throwing a ton of innings. The starters led the league in innings pitched in 2024, and did so (as I mentioned last week – link below) without throwing more than 106 pitches in any one start. Amazingly, they had just 20 games all season in which the starter threw 100-plus pitches, which was 14th in baseball and below the league average.

Salk: Five questions about Mariners’ elite five-man rotation

The Mariners only used seven starters last season: the starting five, plus 12 starts from Emerson Hancock (mostly early in the year when Bryan Woo was hurt), and one from Jhonathan Díaz. That’s it. If they can repeat that level of health and consistency, it will make Dan Wilson’s job a whole lot easier.

The recent history of the league tells us that will be tough to pull off, but hopefully the M’s have cracked the code of pitcher health rather than simply gotten lucky.

6. Where are the kids?

Or really, when are the kids? When will they be ready? While nowhere near an old roster, this is a mostly veteran roster. Ryan Bliss and Tyler Locklear will compete to make the opening day 26. Cole Young is likely to debut this season. We may see fill-in stints for Cade Marlowe, Harry Ford and others. But there is not a next generation beating down the door.

That said, camp is filled with young players with big-time upside. How far away are Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes and a few young pitchers? When could we expect Felnin Celestin and other youngsters not in big league camp?

When the Mariners started their rebuild in 2019, it was because they didn’t have much in the farm system to complement their big league roster. How different is that today? They are loaded with prospects ranked in the top 100 by Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, but most are considered to be a few years away from the major leagues. Will they progress? Will they be dealt to bring in more offense?

It all starts with their progress this spring.