On Wednesday, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney named the Seattle Mariners as one of the potential trade suitors for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal this offseason.

While it's unknown if the Mariners will be able or willing to pull off a deal for the best pitcher on the planet, it does at least point to a potentially aggressive offseason ahead for the M's.

In fact, aggressive is the exact word that ESPN's Alden Gonzalez used to describe the Mariners heading into the winter.

The Mariners are widely expected to be aggressive in free agency, but they also have the prospect capital to pull off massive trades. And if there's anybody who can be counted on to be aggressive when the moment demands it, it's Dipoto.

Early MLB offseason rumors and buzz: Which stars will get traded? Which teams will rule the winter? Will Skubal be dealt? Who could sign Schwarber and Tucker? Here's what we're hearing as the 2025-26 hot stove ignites.

How aggressive can Seattle be?

The Mariners have about $35 million to spend this offseason, which is a decent amount, but likely not enough to re-sign or replace Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Polanco.

In order to do all that and more, the M's will need to likely draw from the trade market, where they can deal from a top group of prospects. Seattle has one of the best farm systems in the sport, complete with eight Top-100 prospects, per MLB Pipeline.

They are infielders Colt Emerson, Michael Arroyo and Felnin Celesten, as well as pitchers Jurrangelo Cijntje, Ryan Sloan and Kade Anderson. Outfielders Jonny Farmelo and Lazaro Montes are also on the list.

The Mariners could also deal from their major league team, which includes veterans like Randy Arozarena and Luis Castillo, as well as a youngster like Cole Young.

When will we get some movement? 

Likely not for a while. The groundwork for big moves tends to get laid at the general managers meetings, which take place from Nov. 11-13. The winter meetings take place from Dec. 7-10, which is where some of the deals that were talked about at the general manager's meetings might go down.

Last year we saw Willy Adames, Max Fried and Juan Soto sign during this period, while trades of Garrett Crochet, Andres Gimenez and Jake Burger also happened.

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