Mariners exit Winter Meetings with clear goal: 'Go get better'

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If the Winter Meetings have revealed anything for the Mariners, at least publicly, it’s that behind-the-scenes rumblings of financial limitations are even more real than were initially foreseen.

“Things shifted maybe a couple of weeks into the offseason, on where we're headed and why we were headed there, based on different circumstances that come up,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Some of it's within our control, some of it's not within our control, and how you're going to shape your team going forward.”

While president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has maintained throughout the Meetings that the Mariners’ 2024 payroll will “very likely” increase from the roughly $140 million figure last year, to eventually get there, many budget-induced trades have been necessary.

“I'd be surprised 12 months ago to stand here and have gone through some of the alterations we've made, just this year,” Dipoto said. “I'm really disappointed that we didn't make it to the postseason, disappointed that this step in our growth wasn't as effective as maybe we all envisioned it would be. I still think we have a really good team with a chance to be a great team.”

• Servais talks Mariners' flurry of early trades

Specifically, sources have said, the Mariners are facing challenges after their ROOT Sports -- the regional sports network in which they own a 70% stake -- was attached to a price increase to customers from Xfinity, the largest cable distributor in the Pacific Northwest region.

Asked about that component impacting Seattle’s offseason, Dipoto said: “I’m just going to focus on the baseball part of it. We’re here to try to build the best 26-man roster we can build with the short- and long-term. I’m not ever going to talk about our budget.”

But are they done cutting costs to now pivot from the “subtraction” to the “addition” phase of their offseason?

“We did what we needed to do to create the framework from which to build the team that we envisioned,” Dipoto said. “And as I said [Monday], our goal is to go get better.”

BIGGEST REMAINING NEEDS
This part is obvious -- bats, and big ones, though Seattle is not wedded to righties or lefties in its pursuit.

“We would like to add, at least I would call it, one and a half corner outfielders,” Dipoto said. “And half would be somewhat at least capable of platooning -- with the idea that Dominic Canzone could fill the other side of it, or a Cade Marlowe or Taylor Trammell, etc. And then we would like to find someone who is just a presence, more of a middle-of-the-lineup bat-type. And if that means primary DH, if it means some part of a corner and DH, that's a possibility.”

Based on contract projections for top free agents like Cody Bellinger, the Mariners' clearest path to upgrades is via trades, which would almost certainly require them to part with their young starting pitchers -- even if they have trepidation to do so.

“You'll never tell somebody, 'Hey, we don't want to hear your overtures anymore,’” Dipoto said. “So we'll see what the market bears.”

DEALS DONE
After dealing Eugenio Suárez (owed a guaranteed $11.3 million in 2023) to Arizona on Nov. 22, the Mariners traded Jarred Kelenic (estimated $750,000 in '23), Marco Gonzales ($12.25 million in '23) and Evan White (owed $7 million in '23 and $8 million in '24 with a $2 million buyout after) to Atlanta on Sunday to free up financials. In return, they received reliever Carlos Vargas and catcher Seby Zavala from the D-backs, and reliever Jackson Kowar and pitching prospect Cole Phillips from the Braves. They also acquired Luis Urías from the Red Sox on Nov. 17 in exchange for reliever Isaiah Campbell.

RULE 5 DRAFT
Seattle did not make a selection in the Major League portion, while losing right-hander Stephen Kolek to the Padres.

BOTTOM LINE
The Mariners recognize that they are at a trying point in not just their offseason, but what they believe is a World Series window.

In the midst of that reflection -- specifically about if Seattle would’ve taken a different approach this winter had it instead made the postseason in 2023 -- Dipoto recounted a recent conversation with Rangers general manager Chris Young, who told Dipoto, “It could’ve been you there at the end.”

“I said, 'Believe me. I thought about that every moment I was watching the postseason,’” Dipoto recalled. “We think we have a team that can do that. I'm excited for it. I don't know if we would have been in a different situation right now, where we have made the postseason, because we always think broadly. We're constantly trying to balance the present in the future.”