Trick or Treat? 6 Mariners Offseason Decisions That Could Shape Seattle’s Lineup

Mariners fans know the worst house on the block. It promises something good, makes us wait, then drops a tiny box of raisins into the bag. We also know this as the typical Jerry Dipoto bargain signing. That box of raisins can come in the form of Tommy La Stella, Kolten Wong, A.J. Polluck, Rob Refsnyder…you name it. But we’re getting a little old to fall for that again.

Another offseason brings another collection of tempting ideas. Bring back Randy Arozarena. Maybe it’s time to turn Lazaro Montes loose. Or it could be a breakout season for Colt Emerson. Somewhere along the way, somebody will suggest trading a starter. Whatever it may be, we should judge these ideas by what they would actually give Seattle. Let’s check this offseason’s Halloween bag.

Bringing Back Randy Arozarena

Before we get creative about replacing Arozarena, we should appreciate how much production would walk out the door. He hit .281 with a .381 on-base percentage, 26 home runs and 26 stolen bases in 2026. That’s a pretty useful offensive bag.

Replacing those contributions could require multiple moves. Sure, it may not be hard to replace him as a defender. But whoever steps in the box has big shoes to fill. Seattle would be taking on another major assignment before addressing the weaknesses already on its shopping list.

That makes a reunion appealing at a sensible price. It also makes the next move important. Keeping Arozarena would preserve a productive part of the lineup. The Mariners would still need to improve the offense around him. We should expect the front office to recognize both responsibilities. Bring him back, then keep the shopping cart moving.

Verdict: Treat

Giving Lazaro Montes an Everyday Outfield Spot

Montes has given us a reason to want more than occasional appearances. He hit 38 home runs across Double-A and Triple-A in 2026, finishing with a .249/.369/.558 line. At Tacoma, he hit .274/.369/.571 with 13 homers in 44 games.

His first major league look offered a more complicated picture. He hit four monster home runs and posted a .481 slugging percentage. However, 24 strikeouts in 59 plate appearances came along with that production. So, we’re talking about a 40.7 percent strikeout rate. The power showed up. So did the adjustment ahead of him.

We shouldn’t pretend that September sample proves he’s ready to carry a lineup. It does strengthen the case for giving him consistent work. He has demonstrated that he can tear the cover off the ball. Seattle should be interested in finding out how often he can punish mistakes against major league pitching. In order to do that, he needs regular at-bats, preparation, and enough patience to let him figure it out.

Build a capable offense around him and give him a real opportunity. And of course, let him hold down DH when the opportunity is there as well. His power makes the risk worth taking.

Verdict: Treat.

Making Colt Emerson the Starting Shortstop

Emerson’s first major league season gives us a clear reason to slow down before assigning him the job. He slashed .190/.246/.335 in 69 games, striking out 83 times against 15 walks in 241 plate appearances. That works out to a 34.4 percent strikeout rate and a 6.2 percent walk rate.

His wrist injury deserves consideration when we assess those struggles. His eight home runs offered flashes of promise, but the injury also limits the offseason work available to address the problems he encountered. That leaves Seattle with less evidence of what a healthy, more prepared Emerson can provide. We can give him some grace for the results and still expect the Mariners to have a credible alternative at shortstop.

That’s why this differs from the Montes decision. Montes arrives with a strong upper-minors power résumé and a brief major league sample. Emerson has already had a longer opportunity, and his results exposed problems Seattle needs to see him address.

We can believe in his future without guaranteeing his immediate role. Shortstop also carries enough defensive responsibility to make this a demanding everyday assignment. The Mariners should enter spring with a credible alternative and let Emerson’s progress determine how quickly he takes over.

If he wins the job, we should welcome it. Handing it to him now would ask optimism to do too much of the planning.

Verdict: Trick.

Hiring CJ Gillman Before Announcing a Manager

The strongest argument for Gillman comes from what happened in Washington. During his season as the Nationals’ director of hitting, Washington’s minor league system improved from 29th to eighth in wRC+, a measure of offensive production adjusted for league and park. Its home run rate climbed from 29th to seventh.

Washington’s major league club also scored 821 runs, third-most in baseball. Gillman’s closer involvement was with the farm system, so the minor league improvement offers the more direct evidence of his work. The major league results belong to a broader group of players and coaches

Gillman also served as Seattle’s minor league hitting coordinator from 2022 through 2025. He returns with familiarity with some of the younger players who are now on the major league roster. And he also provides evidence of progress elsewhere.

There’s a fair question about the incoming manager’s input. The public announcement order doesn’t answer it. We should care most about whether Seattle secured someone capable of making its hitters better. Gillman’s Washington résumé gives us a concrete reason to like the hire.

Verdict: Treat.

Signing a Versatile Veteran

A player such as Mauricio Dubón makes this idea a no-brainer. Dubón slashed .276/.321/.399 with 12 home runs in 153 games for Atlanta in 2026. He struck out 73 times in 619 plate appearances, an 11.8 percent rate.

We call him out specifically because the fit makes sense given J.P. Crawford’s departure and the uncertainty about what version of Colt Emerson we’re going to get.

Dubón’s versatility has included starting at seven different positions in consecutive seasons with Houston. That’s the kind of coverage Seattle should seek, especially while sorting out its young infield.

But which veteran makes the most sense also depends on how the rest of the offseason unfolds. If the Mariners don’t sign Arozarena, the need for an established outfield bat grows, and this conversation could easily shift toward Seiya Suzuki. Or even Teruaki Sato.

The broader point holds: The Mariners need enough useful players to handle the season they’ll actually play. Whether that means versatile coverage or a bigger addition in the outfield, they need to give themselves dependable options.

Verdict: Treat.

Trading Logan Gilbert for an Impact Bat

Before we exhaust Gilbert in a hypothetical trade, let’s count what Seattle would have to replace. He delivered 186 innings across 32 starts in 2026, with a 3.73 ERA, 205 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP.

Trading him would create a pitching assignment that deserves every bit as much attention as the new hitter. The return would need to make Seattle better after accounting for those lost innings.

An extraordinary offer deserves consideration. As an offseason strategy, though, trading Gilbert asks one deal to solve the offense while creating another expensive problem. Keep him. Find another way to add the bat.

Verdict: Trick.

The numbers give Seattle a sensible direction. Preserve Arozarena’s production. Give Montes a chance to turn his power into an everyday contribution. Make Emerson demonstrate progress. Put Gillman’s development experience to work, add useful veteran depth and keep Gilbert taking the ball.We can embrace some upside without making the entire winter depend on it.

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