It's actually not just the Mariners.
According to a recent report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Arizona Diamondbacks have said they are not going to trade star infielder Ketel Marte. He will remain on the roster, meaning that he is no longer a trade target for the Seattle Mariners.
The situation with Marte
Now 32 years old, Marte is the best offensive second baseman in the entire league. A three-time All-Star, he's got three seasons in a row of 25 homers or more, including a 36-homer campaign in 2024. He's posted a 145 OPS+ or greater in each of the last two seasons as well.
He's due just more than $90 million over the next five years, making him very affordable, and evidently the Diamondbacks did not find an offer that met their asking price.
Marte will gain 10-5 rights in April, meaning he'll earn a full no-trade clause. If he's not traded by then, he'll become much harder to move should the team want to.
What else is out there for the Mariners?
Given the combination of financial cost and prospect cost, Marte never really felt like an option for the Mariners, and now the options are thinning.
Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette remain available on the free agent market, but they are expected to be far out of Seattle's price range. Brendan Donovan is still available on the trade market, but with Marte off the board, there could be increased competition for him. Nico Hoerner could become available if the Chicago Cubs make a splash and sign either Bregman or Bichette, and there's always Eugenio Suarez, who is still available in free agency as well.
Of course, the Mariners could also just roll with their combination of young infielders, including Ben Williamson, Colt Emerson and Cole Young.
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Also to know
--The Mariners came to terms with six players on Thursday, avoiding arbitration with each of Logan Gilbert, Randy Arozarena, Luke Raley, Matt Brash, Gabe Speier and George Kirby. They did not come to terms with Bryce Miller, though there is still time to reach a deal.
--You can catch up on everything you need to know with the latest episodes of the 'Refuse to Lose,' podcast, which are available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Recent guests include ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney and Todd Raleigh, father of M's catcher Cal Raleigh.
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