A rare inactive offseason is plaguing Seattle in 2025. “Trader Jerry” Dipoto as fans call him is yet to make a deal that will impact the starting lineup, despite multiple holes. On top of that, conflicting reports on the team’s plans leave fans restless. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times recently came out and said that the Mariners always knew it would be hard upgrading on their small budget, so they might pivot their concerns to solving one of their problems. Couple that with missing out on name after name, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Five Strong Contenders for Seattle’s Second Base Position
Operating on a budget, here are five-second base options for the Mariners can look at going into 2o25
Honorable mentions:
Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays
Bichette has been rumored to be on the block after his down year in 2024. However, even with the down year, Bichette would come at a price. From 2021-2023, he put up 14.3 WAR, with 73 home runs and 268 RBI, slashing .298/.339/.476 getting MVP votes in all three seasons. To add insult to injury, Bichette is getting paid by Mariners’ standards. The shortstop is slated to make $17/mm in 2025. Toronto’s depleted farm and aging pitching would make Seattle a perfect match for a trade.
Luis Arraez, San Diego Padres
For some reason, Arraez is yet again rumored to be on the block. Sports Illustrated and other publications are already predicting a trade to Seattle. San Diego has shown time and time again that they will be the last team in the league to prospect hug. Unfortunately, this has left their farm in shambles. Given the haul Arraez has carried in previous trades, the Mariners would do more than empty the farm for Arraez, who can slot in almost anywhere in the infield. He’s also only set to make $13.7/mm in 2025, leaving the Mariners in a great financial position, especially after trading Luis Castillo.
Onto the real list now.
5. Joey Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers
Ortiz, 26, is going into his third campaign. Given his first real shot in the league after his move to Milwaukee, Ortiz set up a great foundation and improved upon his previous seasons. He put up 2.7 WAR in 142 games, more than Jorge Polanco and Dylan Moore. His 2.7 WAR is also higher than a Mariners primary second baseman has put up since Robinson Cano (3.4) in 2018. Showcasing elite speed, fielding, and whiff rate, Ortiz is walking more (10.3% over league average 8%) and striking out less (20.6% over 22.7% league average) than the average hitter. He’s the perfect guy who will put the ball in play and get on base, which is what Seattle needs at the top of the order.
The icing on the cake is that Ortiz is making the league minimum. On top of that, Milwaukee has a surplus of players in all positions, so you can save Luis Castillo and free his money up elsewhere. The Brewers do have a farm that could use some bolstering, ranking 17th in MLB’s 2024 Farm Rankings. Expect a prospect-heavy deal.
4. Oswaldo Cabrera, New York Yankees
The Yankees have swung some big moves to remain in contention after losing Juan Soto. Acquiring the likes of Max Fried, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt. In addition to those names, the Yankees have been linked with infielder Jurickson Profar, according to USA Today. With the likes of Goldschmidt, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., DJ LeMahieu, and even Bellinger, the addition of Profar would leave their infield more than capable of letting someone like Cabrera go. Just 25, this will be Cabrera’s fourth year in the big leagues. Similarly to Ortiz, Cabrera is set to make $800,000 in 2025, leaving the Mariners a hefty amount of wiggle room.
As a primarily third baseman in New York, the Mariners would have the freedom to let him stay there or transition him to second base. That would allow a better fielder like Dylan Moore to take third base. He might not walk a lot, but he did strike out at an exceptional 19.3% in 2024, which would put him the third-lowest on the Mariners 2024 roster among qualified batters. His whiff rate of 18.8%, considerably lower than the league average of 25%, would help contribute to the Mariners’ anti-strikeout mindset from 2021 they are trying so desperately to return to.
3. Gavin Lux, Los Angeles Dodgers
With the arrival of Hye-Seong Kim and the return of Tommy Edman, Gavin Lux’s future in LA is up in the air. With a stacked infield of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Hye-Seong Kim, Max Muncy, Chris Taylor, Miguel Rojas, and Edman, who can also fill in there if need be, there just isn’t a spot for Lux anymore. 2024 was Lux’s first year back after missing considerable time due to injury. He followed up an impressive 2022 with his best year yet in the power department, hitting 10 home runs, and driving in 50.
Lux isn’t necessarily the answer to the strikeout problem. He’s striking out at a league-average clip but walks at an above-average rate. His chase rate of 23.1% was fairly decent, with the 2024 league average chase rate being 28.5%. Lux is another budget-friendly option, making $2.7/mm in 2024.
The Dodgers, though, will be a tough trade partner. An all-around stacked team, with a full farm coming in at number five according to MLB. They aren’t exactly in a position to sell. Look for Lux to bounce back big time in 2025.
2. Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Another team with a stacked infield, the Orioles, has a plethora of young infield options. The one thing they don’t have, though, is pitching. After losing Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Luis Castillo could walk into that rotation and become the ace instantly.
Westburg split his time pretty evenly between second and third base, which is exactly the profile Seattle needs. While he doesn’t walk a lot, he also doesn’t strike out. He would bring back power numbers Seattle hasn’t seen since Cano, with 18 home runs in 2024. He is also set to make $800,000, freeing up almost the entirety of Castillo’s contract. Exactly what Seattle wants to do.
1. Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves
Albies, still just 28, is exactly the splash in the market Seattle would dream of making. An elite top-of-the-order bat with both power and speed. Albies would sit comfortably between Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, and Randy Arozarena. The three-time All-Star is coming off a bit of a down year, but he did miss almost half the season due to injury. His biggest concerns for Seattle would be his ability to stay healthy and his paycheck.
After losing Fried, the Braves need pitching. Offloading Castillo would allow the Mariners to free up $17mm to add to their budget. Albies is only set to make $7/mm in 2025. He offers the low strikeout rates the Mariners need (14.9%), and valuable postseason experience. Something the Mariners have very little of.
Main Photo Credits: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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