Seattle — For the past several winters, the Seattle Mariners have entered the offseason with the same label attached: the biggest one yet. Each year carried urgency, expectation, and the promise that this would finally be the moment the franchise pushed itself into true World Series territory. But after falling one win short of the Fall Classic, this winter is no longer about ambition or projection. It is about consequences.
This is the most critical offseason of the Jerry Dipoto–Justin Hollander era. Full stop.
The Mariners are close — painfully close — and that proximity has sharpened every flaw. After a playoff breakthrough in 2022 and gut-wrenching near-misses in 2023 and 2024, Seattle no longer has the luxury of patience disguised as process. The window is open. The roster is good enough. Now the pressure is to finish the job.
To their credit, the Mariners have acted. Josh Naylor’s five-year deal stabilizes first base and adds legitimate middle-of-the-order power. The bullpen received an injection of upside with the addition of left-hander Jose Ferrer. Rob Refsnyder brings a professional, proven bat against left-handed pitching. These are meaningful moves, not cosmetic ones.
And yet, they still aren’t enough.
Inside the organization, there is no mystery about what remains missing. The Mariners still need one more impact infield bat, a player who can tilt tight games and lengthen a lineup that too often went quiet when it mattered most.
For weeks, Seattle has been linked to two high-profile infield targets: Cardinals utilityman Brendan Donovan and Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte. The Mariners are reportedly one of the final contenders for Donovan, a near-perfect fit who offers contact, versatility, and postseason reliability. Marte, meanwhile, represents a true difference-maker if available.
But the reality of the offseason is cruel. Prices rise. Markets shift. Deals collapse without warning. And there is a growing sense that Seattle may not land either player.
If that happens, the conversation turns uncomfortable.
The most obvious fallback is a reunion with Eugenio Suárez. Familiar, respected, and capable of carrying an offense when hot, Suárez offers leadership and power — along with streakiness and age. At 34, he profiles best as a short-term solution, potentially starting at third base before sliding into a DH role if younger options force the issue. It’s safe. It’s known. It’s also not transformative.
Kazuma Okamoto offers a different kind of gamble. The Japanese slugger has been one of the most consistent power hitters in NPB, launching at least 27 home runs in every full season from 2018 through 2024. Even in an injury-limited 2025, he posted a monstrous 1.014 OPS. Primarily a third baseman overseas, Okamoto could fill multiple roles in Seattle and bring legitimate star potential. His MLB signing deadline of Jan. 4 adds urgency — and risk.
Willi Castro presents versatility and switch-hitting value, with experience at nearly every position on the field. A 2024 All-Star, Castro has been a league-average bat for multiple seasons, but his disastrous final stretch last year has cooled interest around the league. On a one-year prove-it deal, he could make sense. As a cornerstone addition, he remains a question mark.
Alec Bohm continues to surface as a trade candidate. With just one year of club control remaining, he fits the profile of a stopgap — steady offensively, improved defensively, but unlikely to change the ceiling of the roster. He could bridge the gap until a prospect is ready, but bridges don’t win championships.
Mark Vientos brings raw power and long-term control, but also strikeout concerns, defensive issues, and volatility. For a team that plays 81 games at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park, betting heavily on a flawed power profile is a dangerous proposition.
Which leads, inevitably, to the most polarizing possibility of all.
If the trades fall apart.
If the market dries up.
If the front office hesitates.
Is Ben Williamson the answer?
Handing third base to a young, unproven player on a roster built to win now would be the boldest move Seattle could make. It would signal faith in development over desperation, belief over fear. It would also be a massive gamble — one that could elevate the Mariners or expose them.
This offseason will not be remembered for the rumors, the near-misses, or the intentions. It will be remembered for one thing only: the choice the Mariners made when the moment demanded clarity.
Whether that choice is a blockbuster, a calculated risk, or a leap of faith in Ben Williamson, the margin for error is gone.
The Mariners are out of time.
And this winter will decide what they truly are.
Leave a Reply