The Mariners have been working overtime in the off-season to ensure they can return to excellence in 2026, as the Hot Stove League will only get hotter from here. The Mariners front office team of GM Justin Hollander and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto have already re-signed slugging first baseman Josh Naylor, and they’ve now been working with second baseman Jorge Polanco to return him to the roster in 2026.
ESPN Insider Buster Olney says that the team is already a success, even if their only move was to hold on to Naylor. However, he expanded on that premise by saying that many other personnel executives and general managers in Major League Baseball believe that Seattle is taking a winning approach.
​”I ​ran ​this ​past ​some ​executives with ​other ​teams ​after ​I ​texted ​you, ​I ​said, ​’no ​matter ​what ​the ​Mariners ​do ​the ​rest ​of ​the ​winter, ​they’ve ​had ​a ​good ​offseason,'” Olney said. “​And ​everyone’s ​like, ​’yep, ​that’s ​right.’ ​”
“They ​don’t ​really ​have ​to ​do ​a ​lot ​because ​their ​rotation ​is ​fine ​as ​it ​is, ​and ​their ​everyday ​lineup ​now ​with ​Naylor is ​fine ​as ​it ​is. Maybe ​you ​go ​after ​Suarez. ​Maybe you ​monitor ​that ​market. ​I mean ​it’s ​pretty ​clear ​they ​want ​to ​re-sign ​Jorge ​Polanco, ​who’s ​a ​good ​player ​for ​them, ​but ​let’s ​say ​everything ​else ​fails, ​because ​you ​got ​Josh ​Naylor ​to ​be ​that ​other guy ​in ​the ​middle ​of ​the ​order, ​along ​with ​Cal (Raleigh), ​along ​with ​Julio (Rodriguez). ​I ​think ​they’ve ​had ​an ​excellent ​winter.”
Mariners Management knows they have help on the way
Aug 1, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander talk to the media prior to the game against the Boston Red Sox at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Dipoto and Hollander can still seek trades and free agents with the knowledge that they also have a lot of help on its way to the Emerald City. The team’s top prospect, sweet-swinging infielder Colt Emerson, is waiting in the wings. He will be given every opportunity to make the roster in Spring Training, and he can play third base if Eugenio Suarez (as expected) departs Seattle as a free agent.
At just 20 years of age, Emerson has hit at every level thus far, and he’s actually a huge factor in what other moves the front office makes from here. Regardless, fans have a reason to be happy with the way Hollander and Dipoto are attacking the offseason. If things continue in this form, the Mariners have a great opportunity to improve on their 90-win total in 2025.
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