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With one of the best offenses in baseball, the Seattle Mariners look posed to finally return to the postseason for the first time since 2001. Missing a few pitching pieces, the Mariners are looking to fill the voids.
The Seattle Mariners actually have one of the best offenses statistically heading into 2017. The 2016 Mariners ranked 10th in MLB in total offensive WAR. If you take into account their current roster, after acquiring the likes of Jean Segura, Danny Valencia and Carlos Ruiz, the Mariners would rank third in total offensive WAR. The two teams ahead of them, the Cubs and Red Sox, are World Series favorites. Therefore, this shows that if the Mariners can manage to put together a solid pitching rotation around Felix Hernandez they can not only make the postseason but contend for the World Series.
I know it sounds crazy hearing the Mariners be considered as World Series caliber, but the talent is there. Kyle Seager is perhaps the most underrated guy in baseball, and he joins Robinson Cano and King Felix as franchise cornerstones. Sure, they could improve the outfield, but with such little pitching depth the rotation should be their focus. They especially must act now considering the Rangers and Astros are formidable opponents in the AL West and the latter seems to be getting better and better.
So heading into 2017 the question surrounding the Mariners will be if they can build that rotation around Hernandez. If the Seattle front office can manage to make the right choices they will almost undoubtedly make a run for the postseason. With options on the table, there will be no excuses for why the Mariners cannot improve. With that being said, let’s look at the best pitching options for the Seattle Mariners for the 2017 season.
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Tyson Ross
Excuse the pun, but Tyson Ross would be huge for the Seattle Mariners. The 6-foot-6 right-handed pitcher would slot in as a perfect complement to Felix Hernandez atop the rotation. Despite only throwing 5.1 innings in 2016, Ross can definitely contribute to any big league team, and the Mariners may be the most willing to take the risk. The 29-year-old is a former All-Star and has shown he can be fantastic at the big league level. After two great seasons in 2014-15, Ross cemented himself as a great young arm. The Mariners should take the risk with this one to potentially reap the benefits.
Ross would insert into the two slot in the rotation and complement King Felix perfectly. It may be risky considering both men battled injuries last year, but the ceiling for this duo would be spectacular. Ross would thrive learning from Hernandez, and as we’ve seen before pitchers pitch better when surrounded by greatness, plain and simple. Although it is a trivial, the idea that Ross will be a better pitcher by just pitching with King Felix isn’t at all out of the question.
The one thing the Mariners should avoid is overpaying for Ross. He is perhaps the best remaining option in the free agent pool, and a signing is always much easier than a trade. With powerhouses like the Cubs reportedly interested in Ross, the Mariners may jump the gun and overpay. If the Mariners can find a reasonable price for the six-and-a-half footer, it would be a win-win for both sides of the deal.
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Jason Hammel
The former Chicago Cub is a free agent this offseason, and with many teams eyeing Tyson Ross the Mariners could sneak in. Sure, Ross would be the better option of the pair, but Jason Hammel can still bring a lot to the table and would add much-needed depth to the starting rotation. While he may slot in at the third or even fourth spot in the rotation, Hammel will likely love the promise of victory and take the bait on bringing Seattle to glory.
Hammel’s stats the last two seasons haven’t been the best, but they haven’t been the worst. In the last two seasons he has posted ERAs of 3.74 and 3.83 with a winning record. Hammel doesn’t strike a lot of people out, and he doesn’t really excel at anything. What he does, however, is bring consistency and depth to a Seattle rotation that has battled injury. Of the last nine seasons there were only two in which Hammel didn’t log 30 or more games (2012-13). Hammel has shown to be a work horse, and has shown glimpses of being able to produce great outings. Seattle could use that in their rotation for 2017.
With so much attention on Tyson Ross it may not be challenging to secure Hammel to a deal. Hammel likely wants to go to a playoff contender, and no playoff contender with an already great staff will pay for a five arm. That is what makes Seattle a perfect fit. Outside of perhaps Houston or the Yankees, no other playoff caliber team would likely use Hammel as more than a five man.
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Sonny Gray
Despite having a disappointing season in 2016, Sonny Gray remains as one of baseball’s best young promising arms. With multiple injuries in 2016 the Mariners may be hesitant to attempt to trade for the young right-hander. However, with his young age and his track record of showing he can be an elite MLB pitcher, the Mariners may not want to miss out. Sonny Gray undoubtedly has the highest ceiling of this list, and if he can return to former glory alongside Felix Hernandez then the Mariners could make a deep push into the postseason.
Gray had his worst season as a professional in 2016. The young pitcher posted a 5-11 record with a 5.69 ERA in only 22 games. Compare that to his All-Star year in 2015 that consisted of a 14-7 record with a 2.73 ERA, and the downfall is much more evident. The good sign for the Mariners, though, is that Gray was consistently putting up great numbers before 2016. Gray’s career ERA before this season was 2.88, and at such a young age he could rebound easily from a bad season filled with injury.
The only good thing about Gray having a down year is that his value isn’t what it would have been last offseason. With question marks surrounding him, the A’s may want to get what they can out of him and continue building that farm. Seattle could likely deal Nick Neidert, Luiz Gohara and maybe a smaller big league bat like Seth Smith to get this deal done. It wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, and leaves the Mariners in a very promising position.
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Jose Quintana
Jose Quintana is used to being a quality number two arm behind an ace, and in Seattle he would serve the same purpose. Quintana has pitched behind Chris Sale in some capacity his entire big league career, and year after year has put together respectable seasons. After starting the year in spectacular fashion Quintana was finally receiving the recognition he has deserved. Sure, his numbers fizzled down back to his career averages, but also being only 27 boosts his value. It can be argued that Quintana will only get better and we will see more of that early season magic. With the White Sox in full rebuild mode, the Mariners may want to snag Quintana before it’s too late.
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Jose Quintana has been a consistent performer since his arrival in the big leagues. His ERA has slowly improved over the years, and his overall numbers have been getting better and better. In his first season, Quintana posted a 3.76 ERA. Last season Quintana’s ERA was a very respectable 3.20. With potentially three years being left on his contract, Quintana may be the most valuable arm on the trade market.
To get this deal done, the White Sox would likely ask for a good amount. We have seen with the Chris Sale and Adam Eaton deals that the White Sox make teams pay for their assets. The Mariners would likely need to trade either of their top prospects, Kyle Lewis or Tyler O’Neill, along with a pitching prospect such as Neidert. Throw in a young big league arm like James Paxton and this deal could reach an agreement.
While this deal would make the Mariners better, I’m not sure if it would be worth it. Quintana is great, don’t get me wrong, but with other avenues it may be best for the Mariners to hold on to their future. Unless they are trading for an elite Cy Young caliber arm, the Mariners should stick to smaller deals like Ross, Hammel and Gray to bolster their depth.
