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The Seattle Mariners are coming off an impressive and inspiring 2022 season wherein they finally snapped their 21-year postseason drought. The main reason is the impeccable showing of Rookie of the Year, MVP candidate Julio Rodriguez, and the trade deadline acquisition of ace pitcher Luis Castillo. Youngsters like Cal Raleigh and Logan Gilbert will take a huge leap from their breakout season in 2022, so the trajectory is in the right direction for the Mariners.
The front office spotted their glaring problems in the offseason as they bolstered their offense by acquiring Kolten Wong, A.J. Pollock, and, more importantly, Teoscar Hernandez. These three players will play a vital role and fill the void left by Mitch Haniger and Adam Frazier. Since this squad is still starting to find its footing amongst the best in the American League, manager Scott Servais will experiment with lineup combinations and pitching decisions.
With that in mind, there are numerous positions battles we must keep an eye on in Spring Training.
LF: Kelenic, Pollock
The Mariners' new acquisition, A.J. Pollock, may have the advantage in some instances because Jarred Kelenic struggled immensely last season. The more steady option at the left field would be Pollock, but Kelenic has the upside to eclipse the ceiling of Pollock in his 12th season in the majors. The position battle will be less crowded because Taylor Trammell needs surgery and will miss the season's first 6-7 weeks.
Kelenic's talent is always there, but he must not be pressured with the quick progression and improvement of guys like Rodriguez and Gilbert. The eyeballs have been focused on him as the main piece of the Edwin Diaz trade, but Kelenic is still young and has many opportunities in the majors. The Pollock acquisition can be more of a help brought on the field, and he can mentor the young starting outfield of Seattle.
2nd catcher: Murphy, Hummel
The other positions of Seattle are locked into their starting spots, including elite catcher Cal Raleigh. His fantastic rise has propelled Raleigh to one of the top catchers in the American League in his second season in the MLB. Furthermore, after their postseason run, he revealed that he was playing through broken ligaments in his hand, so Raleigh's backup will be integral in 2023.
He may have been too exhausted in 2022, thus magnifying the importance of Tom Murphy and his recovery from shoulder surgery. As a veteran, he has vast experience in backstopping in crucial games, so that he may have the advantage over Cooper Hummel. The Mariners are unlikely to have three catchers in their active roster, so this will be an intriguing decision for their team.
8 Bullpen spots
It is traditional for squads to utilize eight relievers and five starters as their 13-man active pitching staff. Andres Muñoz and Paul Sewald will head their bullpen, but Servais has a varying approach to other managers. He does not have a traditional closer he relies on for every ninth inning of a close game, but it is more of choosing the pitcher based on their matchup with the respective batters.
Aside from Muñoz and Sewald, individuals like Diego Castillo, Penn Murfee, and Matt Festa will play critical roles in their 2023 campaign. There are five names already who have their spots liked locked, but there are three more spots for a plethora of other pitchers in Seattle. The squad decided to bring a whopping 38 arms in training camp, so it will be entertaining to see who they will choose to comprise the bullpen of the Seattle Mariners.
