MLB Power Rankings: Post Winter Meetings

15. Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners were wheeling and dealing right up until the final moments of the Shohei Ohtani recruiting process trying to line up as much international bonus money as possible to acquire the once-in-a-generation talent. In the end, the efforts of Jerry Dipoto went for naught as Ohtani chose the Los Angeles Angels.

Seattle missed out on Ohtani, but Dipoto has hardly been asleep at the wheel so far this offseason as he tries to get the Mariners back into the playoffs for the first time since 2001. Dee Gordon, Ryon Healy and Juan Nicasio have been acquired, and some of that extra international money has been used to pick up lesser names that could still contribute at the MLB level.

The trade for Gordon came as a total shock because the Mariners are already set up the middle with Robinson Cano at second base and Jean Segura at shortstop. Dipoto is betting that Gordon’s athleticism will allow him to make a seamless transition out to center field, where the Mariners are lacking.

Healy will replace Yonder Alonso, while Nicasio could close or pitch the eighth inning. The 31-year-old right-hander appears to have finally found a niche as a reliever. He is coming off a 2017 season that saw him pitch 72.1 innings with a 2.61 ERA and 9.0 strikeouts per nine.

The constant stream of trades coming out of Dipoto’s office always makes for interesting offseason fodder, but the Mariners need to find a way to start winning. They have yet to address their biggest weakness — starting pitching. After missing out on Ohtani, ponying up big bucks for Yu Darvish or Jake Arrieta may be the only option for the Mariners to keep up with the rest of the AL West.