Drayer: Mariners face key questions as offseason begins

As the 2026 season ends with the Milwaukee Brewers completing their steamroll through the best of baseball, the not-so-offseason begins. Although this year, due to the labor situation, it could prove to be more off than on with MLB expected to enact a lockout when the current collective bargaining agreement expires at 8:59 p.m. Dec. 1.

What does this mean for the Seattle Mariners in terms of putting together the 2027 club?

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While their needs in terms of numbers are relatively low, the Mariners will have their work cut out for them this winter when it comes to availability and fit for what they need. First, they need to establish what exactly they are targeting and what they have available to trade. Should they move a starter? That has proven to be not as simple as one would like to believe from what we have seen the past couple of years. The market has not been as strong as one would hope for one of the starters and with another year of club control under their belts, could become even more difficult to move for what they want.

If the impact bat is made available, it would be an easy call to make the move. If the deal isn’t there, do the Mariners start the season with a six-man rotation as Jason Churchill made a case for earlier this month on Wyman and Bob?

Another question, what is next for Colt Emerson?

Coming off the wrist surgery, he is expected to be ready for spring training. But will he be ready to join the big club opening day? He had been sent down before the injury was disclosed. How much of his struggles at the plate were caused by the wrist? It is hard to see that question being sufficiently answered in what will likely be a truncated spring training coming out of the lockout. Will it benefit him both in the long and short term to get some time in the minors before he returns? If that answer is yes, the Mariners could patch something together to start the season, but that is a lot of uncertainty to be taking into a season where they are expected to contend. Do they look outside for a stopgap defensive shortstop who they can move around or do they possibly look for a more permanent option at the position and focus on moving Emerson to third?

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Once these questions are answered they can complete their roster to-do list, which should also include an impact arm or two in the bullpen and a replacement for Randy Arozarena in the outfield. Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander will have little time to make whatever decisions they deem doable this winter with the impending lockout, but they do have experience working with a shortened shopping season and actually did quite well working around the 99-day work stoppage in 2022, signing Robbie Ray less than 36 hours before it began and completing the trade that brought Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez to Seattle four days after it ended.

Whether or not we see a flurry of activity across baseball with free agents free to sign with all 30 clubs beginning Nov. 2 remains to be seen, but the Mariners should be active this winter one way or another.

Seattle Mariners news and more

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