How is the team going to get more right handed?

[Seattle or Bust]

1B: Naylor - lefty
2B: Young - lefty
SS: Emerson - lefty
3B: Donovan - lefty
RF: Canzone - lefty
CF: Julio - righty
LF: Laz - lefty
C: Cal - switch
DH: Raley - lefty

Bench: Arroyo - righty, Pereda - righty

I think the M's are quickly approaching a problem where there are far too many lefties in the lineup. With Randy almost surely departing... they only have 2x true right-handed every day bats that are proven. Is Arroyo potentially a good fit here? Sure... but are we expecting him to be an every day outfielder and replace Randy's production as a rookie? Probably not.

Question is, what do they do about it?

It seems like really poor planning for them to have extended Naylor and not Randy. It seems like really poor planning for them to not have seen this coming and their last 2x big bat acquisitions being left handed in Naylor and Donovan.

Frankly, Pete Alonso needed to be a Mariner. Josh Naylor was a mistake from a roster composition standpoint.

I suppose the coming departures of Weston Wilson, Taylor Ward, Victor Robles... and in-season departures of Mitch Garver and Rob Refsnyder will force their hand. The M's have to add at least 3x RHB's (OF, Util, IF) to this lineup over the off-season. And given their failures of doing so in the past, lordy that is a task.

Personally... I'd be doing everything in my power to trade Josh Naylor this off season and re-sign Randy.

The top names aside from Randy in free agency are Cubs OF's Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ. They are a step down athletically from Randy... but potentially a step up defensively. If you're not re-signing Randy, one of these guys has to be a Mariner.

Other names in free agency the M's could look as a pure bench bat are... Austin Hayes, Ramon Laureano, Luis Robert, Jorge Soler. Perhaps taking a cheap flier on Luis Robert could be boom or bust. Despite injuries, he still was on pace for about 2.5 WAR/162 and he's just 28.

Could the M's swing a massive trade for a right-handed bat?

Ronald Acuna Jr. is now 3 full years removed from his 8.4 WAR MVP season. He's spent the last 3 years injured, playing in about 250 games. He liked a post earlier this year suggesting that the Braves trade him. He's owed $17M the next 2 years on club options before becoming a free agent. The M's have a rich farm and the Braves could use a starting pitcher + MLB-ready prospects given their struggles in the middle infield this past year.

The Twins seem to be forever obsessed with Byron Buxton. But he'd also be an excellent fit if the M's were to swing a big trade. Similar to Acuna, he's also an injury risk... having only played in 20 games post June before going on the IL and struggling immensely after a hot start.

[D-train]

1st easiest step is just to put Arroyo at DH. they will probably non Tender Raley

[D-train]

Good luck trading Naylor. He is now worth -$23M

[Seattle or Bust]

1st easiest step is just to put Arroyo at DH. they will probably non Tender Raley

Seems like a really stupid idea to rely on a 21 YO to DH for you. Arroyo has talent in his bat for sure, but a .700 OPS DH is almost surely in line as the league figures him out. The M's don't get handed rookies who produce - just doesn't happen.

I think they figure on a Naylor bounce back year. I just would rather see him gone however you get it done.

[D-train]

1st easiest step is just to put Arroyo at DH. they will probably non Tender Raley

Seems like a really stupid idea to rely on a 21 YO to DH for you. Arroyo has talent in his bat for sure, but a .700 OPS DH is almost surely in line as the league figures him out. The M's don't get handed rookies who produce - just doesn't happen.

I think they figure on a Naylor bounce back year. I just would rather see him gone however you get it done.

So would I but they aren't trading Naylor. You know that.

[DavidGee24]

I was trumpeting go get Alonso this, go get Alonso that, and he would have been EASY to sign but for some reason the Mariners made no effort and in the last two seasons since we inexplicably took a pass on him he's hit 78 home runs with an OPS of .870. His total WAR is 7.9 but only because he has horrible defensive metrics. The guy is a wrecking ball and he was the guy we needed to go after. Our front office is retarded.

Suzuki would be a good replacement for Arozarena even though he's in his age-31 season and long-term deal would probably only be good for a couple years. He's consistent if anything and is a 4.8 WAR player this season. Why we didn't try to sign him out of Japan in the first place is baffling. Our apparent ban on Japanese players is even more baffling.

Happ is good at getting on base and is also in his age-31 season, but his bat seems to have slowed down. Pass on him.

No way on Hayes, Laureano, Robert and Soler. We need to aim high here. And no flyer on Robert, he's had three straight "down" years. That's no longer a trend, it's who he is.

Would love to have Acuna or Buxton on this team, BUT...Buxton might have ten-and-five trade rights and he's emphasized emphatically that he doesn't want to leave Minnesota. And Acuna, as good as he is, has played 49, 95 and 103 games the past three seasons. HUGE gamble there.

I think that our best bets at a right-handed pickup would be Suzuki, Alonso (who might opt out) and the guy I really want, Teruaki Sato. Third baseman/outfielder in his age-27 season who hit 35 home runs and put up a .997 OPS this season in Japan. Of course his name probably hasn't even come up in the Mariner front office though.

[D-train]

I was trumpeting go get Alonso this, go get Alonso that, and he would have been EASY to sign but for some reason the Mariners made no effort and in the last two seasons since we inexplicably took a pass on him he's hit 78 home runs with an OPS of .870. His total WAR is 7.9 but only because he has horrible defensive metrics. The guy is a wrecking ball and he was the guy we needed to go after. Our front office is retarded.

Suzuki would be a good replacement for Arozarena even though he's in his age-31 season and long-term deal would probably only be good for a couple years. He's consistent if anything and is a 4.8 WAR player this season. Why we didn't try to sign him out of Japan in the first place is baffling. Our apparent ban on Japanese players is even more baffling.

Happ is good at getting on base and is also in his age-31 season, but his bat seems to have slowed down. Pass on him.

No way on Hayes, Laureano, Robert and Soler. We need to aim high here. And no flyer on Robert, he's had three straight "down" years. That's no longer a trend, it's who he is.

Would love to have Acuna or Buxton on this team, BUT...Buxton might have ten-and-five trade rights and he's emphasized emphatically that he doesn't want to leave Minnesota. And Acuna, as good as he is, has played 49, 95 and 103 games the past three seasons. HUGE gamble there.

I think that our best bets at a right-handed pickup would be Suzuki, Alonso (who might opt out) and the guy I really want, Teruaki Sato. Third baseman/outfielder in his age-27 season who hit 35 home runs and put up a .997 OPS this season in Japan. Of course his name probably hasn't even come up in the Mariner front office though.

Bux does have a NTC in his contract and Suzuki would be good but would have to lift the Japan ban.

[DavidGee24]

Bux does have a NTC in his contract and Suzuki would be good but would have to lift the Japan ban.

Sato would solve a lot of problems. Again, he mainly plays third but has also played outfield and if he's our third baseman and Donovan can actually make through a season he'd be our left fielder with Arroyo getting some time out there as well.

[Seattle or Bust]

If I had my pick (and what I believe the M's would actually do given $$ and history)

Trade George Kirby + Michael Arroyo to the Braves for Ronald Acuna Jr.

The Braves have had 11 "starters" start games for them this year. Both Martin Perez and Tyler Mahle are free agents at year's end. Chris Sale will be 38 next year. And some of their young pitchers like Strider, Ritchie, and Schawver can't stay healthy/have performed quite poorly. They could use a starter for the next couple years. Arroyo could start for them in the OF in place of Acuna and gives them a young, talented piece there. The M's adding Acuna is obvious. Fits their window of contention and need for a RH bat.

Sign RHP Kaima Taira from the NPB

Can start which gives the M's insurance while they wait for Ryan Sloan. Also works in relief and throws 100 mph. M's need a high-leverage BP arm and he would fit well. They've also been sending scouts to see him.

Sign Isaiah Kiner-Falefa as the utility IF

Is he amazing? No. But the M's accumulated almost -4 WAR at 3B and SS this past year. Most of that due to failed bench players. Falefa is a defense-first player who accumulated 1.4 WAR in just 61 games. That's some value for a bench player.

Sign Ramon Laureano as a 4th OF.

Laureano is one season removed from a 3.8 WAR year but struggled this year due to injuries. He hits both dexterities well and plays solid defense.

[Captain 97]

1B: Naylor - lefty
2B: Young - lefty
SS: Emerson - lefty
3B: Donovan - lefty
RF: Canzone - lefty
CF: Julio - righty
LF: Laz - lefty
C: Cal - switch
DH: Raley - lefty

Donovan is not a true Third baseman and I also don't know that I Like the idea of just turning over the Keys at SS to Emerson at this point. They should add a right hander on that side of the infield. Emerson can take the other spot with Donovan as a fall back working as a super utility player. I'd Also look at adding a legitimate Right Handed Outfielder to work into the rotation with Laz, Raley and Canzone.