The Seattle Mariners are gearing up for another offseason, and there are several questions that need to be answered. Here are seven questions that the Mariners should consider as they look to improve their roster and make a run at the playoffs in 2021.
1. Who will be the team’s new manager? The Mariners fired Scott Servais after the 2020 season, and they need to find a new manager to lead the team. They have already interviewed several candidates, but no decision has been made yet.
2. What will the team do with their free agents? The Mariners have several key players who are set to become free agents this offseason, including starting pitcher Marco Gonzales and outfielder Kyle Lewis. Deciding whether or not to re-sign these players will be a major factor in the team’s success in 2021.
3. What moves will the team make to improve their pitching staff? The Mariners have struggled with their pitching staff in recent years, and they need to make some changes if they want to compete in 2021. They could look to add some veteran arms through free agency or trades, or they could focus on developing young pitchers in their farm system.
4. How will the team address their offensive needs? The Mariners were one of the worst offensive teams in baseball last season, and they need to find ways to improve their lineup. They could look to add a power hitter through free agency or trades, or they could focus on developing young hitters in their farm system.
5. What will the team do with their payroll? The Mariners have a limited payroll, and they need to be smart about how they allocate their resources. They could look to add some high-priced free agents, or they could focus on adding depth through low-cost signings and trades.
6. How will the team use their draft picks? The Mariners have several draft picks this year, and they need to decide how to use them wisely. They could look to add some high-ceiling prospects, or they could focus on adding depth through lower-round picks.
7. What will the team do with their prospects? The Mariners have several promising prospects in their farm system, and they need to decide how to best utilize them. They could look to promote some of them to the majors, or they could focus on developing them further in the minors.
The Mariners have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, and these seven questions are just a few of the many that they need to consider. It will be interesting to see how the team approaches these questions and how it affects their chances of making the playoffs in 2021.