The Seattle Mariners finally broke through, winning the AL West at 90–72 and coming within one game of the World Series before losing the ALCS to Toronto. They have a championship-caliber core, but also enough holes that it should be a busy week for them in Orlando at the Winter Meetings.
1. Add one more middle-of-the-order bat
Josh Naylor’s return stabilizes first base and locks in a dependable run producer, but the Mariners still need another impact hitter. Their own offseason guides point to DH, third base and parts of the outfield as areas where they lack proven production or are leaning too heavily on uncertain internal options like Ben Williamson or a prospect timeline. Bringing back Jorge Polanco as a dedicated DH, adding a corner bat who can lengthen the lineup, or finally landing a true leadoff type are all realistic avenues.
2. Add a left-handed reliever
For all the rotation strength Seattle showed in 2025, the bullpen spent long stretches overworked — especially from the left side. Gabe Speier remains the only established southpaw in the group, and the workload imbalance showed late in the year. The Mariners need one more reliable left-handed reliever to ease the pressure, give Dan Wilson real matchup flexibility and avoid the leverage pinch that surfaced in the postseason.
3. Protect the pitching staff with depth
The rotation survived 2025, but not without warning signs. Performance dips, minor injuries and the sheer volume of innings revealed how thin the margin can get. Seattle doesn’t need a top-of-market starter, but they do need at least one stabilizing arm — either a mid-rotation veteran or a swingman — especially if they choose to trade from their pitching surplus. A depth starter plus an additional bullpen piece keeps them from running into the same October fatigue wall.
The window is open in Seattle. The question for the Winter Meetings is whether the front office treats Naylor’s return as the foundation of a deeper run — or just the start of a much bigger job.
