The Seattle Mariners and manager Dan Wilson have Spring Training to figure out a consistent lineup involving outfielder Mitch Haniger. The latter was the odd man out in a logjam once the Mariners traded for Randy Arozarena midway through last season, which resulted in his playing time seeing a steady decline.

Regardless of that, Haniger is owed $15.5 million this season, making him a must-play if he is to stay on their roster. While he could simply slot in at designated hitter, Wilson remains unsure about how Haniger will fit into the lineup.

“There are a lot of question marks,” Wilson said via Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. “We haven't even gotten to a game yet, so it's hard to know how it's all going to play out. But certainly, his ability to swing the bat, his experience in the league, all that plays.”

Still, there is some competition for that DH spot. For example, catcher Mitch Garver could play a role in that spot if necessary. He's deemed as the backup catcher for now, but that could change at any moment. The beauty of spring training is that there are plenty of unknowns, and Wilson acknowledges that.

Mitch Haniger's role could change with the Mariners, says Dan Wilson

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Once again, the beauty of spring training is that it's like a dress rehearsal for the regular season. There are 162 games, so changes will happen regularly. Even with that metric, getting an understanding of who the starters and key rotational pieces will be is a major advantage.

Despite the potential lineup with Haniger, his salary isn't too appealing for the Mariners. After Haniger signed a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants in 2022, he was traded back to Seattle last year. His production has not been where it once was. Since the 2021 season, his batting average has regressed every season.

The hope is that Haniger can provide some life from the DH position, where he can focus solely on hitting. That, and the addition of Arozarena in the outfield, adds immediate support to the lineup. Teams will be more generous in pitching to Haniger as opposed to Arozarena.

It'll be a large enough sample size to see if Haniger will be a consistent part of the lineup. Wilson will have some tough choices to make. Maybe by the end of spring training, he will have his answer as to what to do with Haniger. If not, then he'll need to spend some extensive time thinking about this upcoming decision before the season officially begins.