Second Base Still Listed as Biggest Remaining Position Battle For Seattle Mariners

The Mariners brought back Jorge Polanco this offseason, but are playing him at third base, leaving the trio of Leo Rivas, Ryan Bliss and Dylan Moore to fight out the battle for second base.

Seattle Mariners second baseman Ryan Bliss (1) throws the ball to first base during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at T-Mobile Park in 2024. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Heading into this offseason, the Seattle Mariners were saddled with infield needs at first base, second base and third base.

They elected to sign Donovan Solano to a one-year deal and plan to play him at first base a significant amount, alongside Luke Raley. They also elected to sign Jorge Polanco to a one-year deal, but will be moving him to third base. That left second base as the spot most unsettled, and according to MLB.com, it's still the biggest positional battle remaining at spring training.

It's not necessarily a "battle" but more like a reshuffling of their infield personnel. Among Dylan Moore, Ryan Bliss and Leo Rivas, Bliss might be in the pole position given that he's had a great camp and that the Mariners have hinted that they may prefer Moore in more of a super utility role that he's thrived in. Rivas was set back with a minor ankle injury but has returned. He also switch-hits, which could boost his roster value.

By all accounts, Moore started the spring in the lead for the second base job, and Rivas seemed to have the inside track at the utility position. Through my own experiences in Peoria during the first week of position player work, it felt like Rivas was growing in to that role as well, but the ankle injury clearly set him back.

Bliss has gone 6-for-18 this spring (.333) with two RBI and a stolen base. He also provides speed on the bases and has shown a versatility to also be able to move between second and third, at least in a workout setting.

The Mariners will continue Cactus League play for the next two plus weeks before heading to Seattle for the regular season opener, which is March 27.

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