MLB Rumors: 3 new teams that can suddenly afford Shohei Ohtani

No. 2 team that can suddenly afford Shohei Ohtani: Seattle Mariners

The Mariners have something the Orioles and many other Shohei Ohtani suitors don't have: Seattle.

The West Coast locale gives the Mariners a leg up when enticing Ohtani to join them. The Japanese star reportedly favors West Coast living. He apparently looked hard at joining the Mariners in the first place before signing with the Angels. And now the financials are coming into place for Seattle along with geography.

Like Baltimore, Seattle was a hot name in the Ohtani trade rumor mill. They're about to be one in the free agency rumor mill as well.

The Mariners are below the league average in terms of payroll even after signing Julio Rodríguez to a long-term deal. They have the room to give Ohtani what he wants, especially if other teams are scared off by the injury situation.

The cooling of the market only favors a team like Seattle, which can offer Ohtani the creature comforts he desires as well as the chance to win with a young core. The Mariners are already contending for the AL West even without Ohtani. Pairing him with Rodriguez would be a dream come true.