What Will Seattle Mariners Lineup Look Like After Adding Eugenio Suarez?
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The Seattle Mariners made the biggest offensive move on the trade market on Wednesday night when they acquired third baseman Eugenio Suarez from the Arizona Diamondbacks for three minor leaguers, including first baseman Tyler Locklear, who has had limited exposure to big-league pitching.
With Suarez, and Josh Naylor, in the fold, the Mariners now have the deepest lineup they've had in years. With that, there are questions (albeit fun ones) to answer:
Full list of players in MLB history who were traded in-season with 35+ home runs:
— Baseball Is Dead (@baseballisdead_) July 31, 2025
1. Eugenio Suarez
2.
pic.twitter.com/3t14VUp1Lm
What happens to J.P. Crawford?
Everything else with the Mariners lineup stems from this question. Who is going to be hitting leadoff? Assuming that role for most of the season since Victor Robles got hurt in April, Crawford has done a nice job, hitting .265 with a .361 on-base percentage. However, he's mired in a big slump and is hitting just .207 over the last 28 days and .098 over the last 14. The Mariners might be best served moving him down in the order.
Who hits leadoff if not Crawford?
My vote is for Randy Arozarena. It seems unconventional, given that we've seen Julio Rodriguez in that spot before, but Arozarena has had some success there. He's started 63 games in the leadoff position in his career, hitting .289 with a .381 on-base percentage for the Tampa Bay Rays. He's already secured a 20/20 season and supplies a nice blend of speed and power in that spot. Remember when Mitch Haniger thrived in the leadoff spot for the M's with a similar skillset?
Save that base, Randy 🤣
— MLB (@MLB) July 30, 2025
Randy Arozarena has his 5th straight 20-20 season! pic.twitter.com/bTIAkHJz0O
How about the middle of the order?
Have your pick. This is the fun of the lineup that the Mariners have now assembled. Let's just go with my idea that Arozarena hits leadoff. If that were the case, the M's could put Cal Raleigh in the two-hole, with Suarez third, Josh Naylor fourth and Julio Rodriguez fifth. This would give them a right-left combo through the first five spots in the order.
They may want to keep Rodriguez in the two-hole, which would then allow them a chance to put Raleigh in the 3-spot, Suarez in the four and Naylor in the five spot, which at least gives them L-R-L in spots three through five.
How about the bottom?
In my scenario, with Arozarena leadoff, the six spot belongs to Jorge Polanco. Nothing wrong with a switch-hitting former All-Star in that spot, right? If Crawford maintains his leadoff spot and the aforementioned players are in spots 2-6, Polanco becomes a very solid number seven hitter.
Dominic Canzone, Crawford and Cole Young would make up 7-8-9 in my scenario, but Canzone and Young likely make it up if Crawford stays in the leadoff spot.
Where are the weaknesses?
The weaknesses are still there against left-handed pitchers, especially late in games. In my scenario, Canzone, Crawford and Young provide three lefties in a row. Dylan Moore and Donovan Solano currently profile as pinch-hit options in those spots, but perhaps the roster will look different by game time on Thursday. Samad Taylor and Ben Williamson, if he sticks around the roster, could be options as well.
The Mariners take on the Texas Rangers on Thursday night at 6:40 p.m. PT. The two teams are tied at 57-52 and for the third wild card spot.
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