I've got to admit. I got a little frustrated on Wednesday night watching Game 5 of the World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Not because the Seattle Mariners aren't playing in the World Series - that sadness is very real, but I can handle it - but because reality set in that Bo Bichette would be a perfect fit for the Mariners on the free agent market, and that there is an essentially zero percent chance of Bichette actually playing for the Mariners in 2026 and beyond.

Bichette has all you could want

First off, Bichette hadn't played in a month and a half because of a left knee sprain, and he's just popped up in the World Series, going 5-for-16 with a .389 on-base percentage. He has helped Toronto get within a win of their first World Series since 1993.

He's a pure hitter, and for a team that is set to lose Eugenio Suarez, Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco (potentially), that kind of offensive ability is necessary.

Furthermore, at 27 years old, he fits the age profile that the Mariners like, and the age profile that you can stomach paying big money to.

Furthermore, Bichette is projected to make around $200 million, and while that's a lot, it isn't the $500 million that clearly makes ownership groups (including the Mariners) uncomfortable. It's a palatable number for the M's, especially given what he brings.

October further proved the idea that the Mariners need to reduce their strikeout issue moving forward, and Bichette excels in that department. He fanned only 14.5 percent of the time this season, and his career average of 19.4 percent is well-below the current league average.

Finally, he just gets hits. He led the American League in hits twice in the first six years of his career and would have led again this year if not for the knee injury late. He's got a career .294 average and would fit perfectly in a lineup with Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, who have plenty of ability to drive him in. His ability to put the ball in play and spray it all over T-Mobile Park would be big for Dan Wilson's lineup.

The defense works also

Bichette is not regarded as a good shortstop, with some teams thinking he needs to move to second or third base. Playing third would line up well for a Mariners team that could lose Suarez, and it wouldn't impact the Mariners moving forward.

Cole Young would still have a home at second. Colt Emerson is still ready to take over at shortstop for J.P. Crawford, maybe as early at 2027. Sure, Michael Arroyo would be displaced, but there's already talk of him dabbling in left field.

The money

Though the money is affordable for the Mariners, it really isn't if they stick to their self-contained budget of $30-35 million for this offseason. Giving Bichette a seven-year deal worth $200 million would eat up all of that, and that's something ownership won't do. 

The Mariners have money to play with, but not enough to swim in the Bichette waters, which is just unfortunate, because he's exactly what they need - in addition to bringing back Josh Naylor and acquiring a bullpen arm.

Related Mariners Stories

LATEST PODCAST IS OUT: Brady Farkas is back for the the latest episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast! He talks about John Stanton's comments in the media, the team's financial situation and he's joined by Tacoma Rainiers broadcasters Andy Helwig and Rylee Pay. LISTEN HERE: 

COULD M's MOVE J.P. Crawford? Why are some fans calling for a trade of their longest-tenured player? Would it even make sense? CLICK HERE:

RELIEVERS NEED TO STEP UP: The Mariners have apparently have some money to play with this offseason, but it's also likely they'll need internal options to improve. These two are prime candidates. CLICK HERE:

Join the Conversation

Remember to join our MARINERS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Mariners fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!