Seattle Mariners Free Agency: ESPN Insider Predicts Team to Make Big Splash

ESPN Researcher and noted Insider Paul Hembekides has predicted the Seattle Mariners to sign free agent outfielder Seiya Suzuki to a four-year, $108 million deal this offseason. He made the prediction on ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" podcast with Buster Olney.

On the surface, this prediction makes a lot of sense, considering the Mariners need offensive help and that Suzuki could help serve as a replacement for Randy Arozarena, who is likely to leave in free agency himself this winter.

Let's dive a little deeper.

Now 32 years old, Suzuki started his professional career in Japan before signing a five-year, $85 million deal with the Chicago Cubs before the 2022 season. A career .269 hitter, he's got 113 homers and 382 RBIs. He delivered a .270 average with 26 homers and 86 RBIs in 2026. He also produced an OPS+ of 131 as the Cubs got back to the playoffs.

He also represented Team Japan at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

As mentioned, his offense would help replace the loss of Arozarena, who also had 26 homers this past season. There's a few different ways in which he could work defensively:

1) He could play right field, with Dominic Canzone getting more time at designated hitter. This would raise questions about the viability of Lazaro Montes on the roster.

2) He could play left field, where he's only played 16 games in the last five years, which would allow Canzone to stay in right field while keeping the DH spot open for someone else. Canzone could also DH and the team could look for a right fielder.

3) Suzuki himself could play at the DH spot.

As I said earlier this week, I think the Mariners need to get back into the Japanese market. They haven't signed a Japanese player since Yusei Kikuchi in 2019 and that's a market they used to corner. Signing an established Japanese star would be good for the 2027 team, but also for re-establishing that presence.

Well, money, of course. The Mariners reportedly only have $30-35 million to spend this offseason, and this $27 million a year deal would cut into basically all of that and wouldn't leave any room for the kind of bullpen help that the team needs.

Furthermore, Suzuki was given a qualifying offer from the Cubs. Are the Mariners prepared to surrender draft pick compensation in order to land Suzuki? They did last year in a trade for Brendan Donovan, but do they want to do it again?