Seattle Mariners
If we’re thinking of teams that need offense, the Seattle Mariners are at the top of the list. The Mariners were dreadful at the plate last season, averaging a meager 4.17 runs per game, and didn’t add much to their lineup this offseason.
Instead of going out and making a run for a big bat, Seattle decided to play budget ball. Donovan Solano was an analytics marvel in his late 30s and had an average exit velocity of 90.2 mph with the Minnesota Twins in 2023. But his glove (minus-3 outs above average) and a drop in exit velocity to 87.3 mph last season make him look like a reserve at best.
Polanco was also expected to be a key contributor after a trade with the Twins last winter but that didn’t pan out either. Although he was battling injuries, Polanco posted his lowest full season wins above replacement at 1.3 and had a meager .213/.296/.355 batter's line with 16 home runs and 45 RBI in 118 games last season. Seattle declined the final option year of his contract but brought him back mainly because he came at a significantly cheaper cost.
This alone should have the Mariners considering pulling the trigger on a bigger bat to pair with Julio Rodriguez. But Seattle has also been talking to the Red Sox about the framework for a Luis Castillo trade this offseason. Triston Casas was originally part of those talks but would the Mariners be interested in swapping a pair of high-priced salaries instead?
It might be the best move. Seattle has one of the better starting staffs in the league with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo and trading Castillo could give Emerson Hancock the opportunity to become a full-time starter. The Mariners also have to add some offense not to squander Rodriguez’s prime, and bringing in Devers could be a way to help him recover from the down year he had in 2024.
With Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford dealing with injuries to open Spring Training, adding Castillo as insurance could be a solid play for Boston.