In the days leading up to spring training, a bored baseball fan can easily find themselves looking into the future of their team, wondering who might become free agents in the following year and what the likelihood of their team pursuing one of these stars might be. If you look ahead to 2017, there is not too much to get excited about. The real crop of talent should hit the free agent market in 2018, predicted to be one of the best free agency groups in the history of baseball. Players like 2015 MVP Award winners Bryce Harper and Josh Donaldson, pitchers such as Dallas Keuchel and Jose Fernandez will be available for 2018. Even Clayton Kershaw and Jason Heyward can opt out of their current contracts that year.
Unfortunately for the Seattle Mariners, who could find themselves with a wealth of holes after this season, 2017’s crop is as bad as 2018’s crop is good. The Mariners could find themselves looking for a first baseman, a catcher and multiple outfielders next offseason. Newly acquired first baseman Adam Lind is only a one-year deal. Catcher Chris Iannetta has only one year guaranteed on his contract. Outfielders Nori Aoki, Seth Smith and Franklin Gutierrez could all find themselves off the Mariners roster next season as well, whether the choice of the club or player.
The only real prospect the Mariners have at catcher is Mike Zunino. As of now, he has come nowhere near what was expected from him when taken No. 3 overall in the 2012 draft. Kurt Suzuki is available, but that’s only if the $6 million vesting option does not kick in. A.J. Pierzynski will become available, but he will be 40 years old next season. Matt Wieters is also expected to hit the market, but with a free agent crop so thin in 2016, he will probably be overpaid.
Jesus Montero, Dae-Ho Lee and D.J. Peterson could all somehow find themselves as the first baseman of the future, but they all have their flaws. Lee is already closer to the end of his career than the beginning, Montero hasn’t been able to excel at first base since his move from catcher and Peterson is a pure power hitter, which doesn’t fit Jerry Dipoto’s philosophy whatsoever.
Edwin Encarnacion and Mark Teixeira will both be available in 2016, but they are both in their mid-30s and will command big dollars. Ryan Howard could become available, but a $23 million club option with a $10 million buyout makes the situation extremely hard to call. I guess there is always Mark Trumbo, the guy traded away twice by Dipoto now, but we all know that isn’t going to happen and didn’t work for the Mariners in the first place.
Boog Powell and Alex Jackson could both find themselves in the mix of outfielders in 2017, although relying on both of them in the major league roster might be a bit risky. Matt Holliday and Jay Bruce both have club options at $17 million and $13 million, respectively, so there is a possibility that both could hit the free agent market. Yoenis Cespedes can opt out of his new contract with the New York Mets, but he would have to have an amazing season to consider that with the two years, $47.5 million left on his deal.
That realistically leaves Jose Bautista, who is going to be one of the best players on the market, Carlos Beltran at 39 years old and Ichiro Suzuki, who could end up retiring after this season if he gets to the 3,000 hit mark. Gutierrez is gone unless the Mariners re-sign him. Smith has a club option at $7 million, but I imagine the Mariners are going to just pay the $250,000 buyout. Aoki is the only one who is more likely to stay than not, with a mutual option of $6 million for 2017 that contains a vesting option as well.
The lesson for Mariners fans is to not look too far ahead in the future. If you think there are too many question marks this year with all the transactions made by Dipoto, next year does not get any easier. The Mariners could always trade their way into a new roster next season. I guess that’s why some call Dipoto “Trader Jerry”.
