Mariners Connected To 29-Year-Old Slugger As Deadline Nears

The Seattle Mariners have already made one splash in the infield this offseason. Could another be on the way in the near future?

Seattle re-signed Josh Naylor early on in free agency and now appears to be set at first base for the foreseeable future. What about third base, though? The Mariners brought Eugenio Suárez to town ahead of the 2025 trade deadline and now he is out there in free agency for any team to sign.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

The Mariners have been aggressive throughout the offseason so far and on Thursday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported that Seattle is among the teams that have been "connected" to Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto ahead of his posting deadline on Sunday, Jan. 4.

The Mariners should be all over the slugger

"With Imai and Munetaka Murakami off the board, there are still two big NPB names left: Kazuma Okamoto and Kona Takahashi," Feinsand wrote."Both players have a signing deadline of 5 p.m. ET on Sunday. What’s the latest on them? Okamoto, a power-hitting corner infielder and six-time NPB All-Star, was holding meetings in Los Angeles late last month with potential suitors and his agent, Scott Boras.

"The Pirates, Red Sox, Padres, Mariners, and Angels have all been connected to Okamoto, who is considered a better defender than the younger Murakami. He could realistically play first or third base in the Majors, giving him a wider range of clubs to consider."

If the Mariners are going to make another splash, this would be the exact type of move to make. The Japanese free agent market has been different than expected this offseason. Munetaka Murakami got a two-year, $34 million deal from the Chicago White Sox despite being projected to get much more. Tatsuya Imai got a three-year, $54 million deal from the Houston Astros, which also was on the low side.

So, what about Okamoto? He can play first base, third base, and has gotten some playing time in the outfield throughout his professional career to this point. He has less pop than Murakami and is four years older, but he's expected to be a better defender. Murakami got $34 million at 25 years old. If Okamoto gets a comparable deal, or even less than that, the Mariners should be all over him.

More MLB: Insider's Prediction Shows Sky-High Mariners Perception Around MLB