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2014 was an exciting year for a suddenly revitalized Seattle Mariners team.

Robinson Cano was brilliant in his first season in Seattle, and Felix Hernandez just missed out on a Cy Young award, leading the Mariners to within one game of a playoff spot after the franchise looked lost for the previous four years.

In 2015, things should be even more exciting. The Mariners are poised to make the postseason for the first time since 2001 and even look like a World Series contender on paper.

The pieces are in place for the Mariners to be an excellent team in 2015, but first they must adhere to some New Year’s resolutions.

Add some depth

The Mariners rounded out their 2015 starting lineup on Tuesday, acquiring Seth Smith in exchange for Brandon Maurer, per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. 

However, if one or more starters get injured—which is almost certain to happen—the Mariners would be in trouble from a depth standpoint.

Smith will be used in the corner spots against righties, and Justin Ruggiano can play all three outfield positions if needed. Still, Seattle could use another outfielder, as they don’t want to be playing Nelson Cruz extensively in the field or giving Stefen Romero regular at-bats should someone go down.

Logan Morrison has won the first-base job, but he has never played more than 123 games in a season. Unless Morrison suddenly sheds his injury-prone label, the Mariners could be looking at a lot of Jesus Montero or Ji-Man Choi.

The best depth addition for the Mariners would be someone who can play the corner outfield and fill in at first base. Ben Zobrist fits in well with the roster and appears to be available after the Tampa Bay Rays agreed to a deal with Asdrubal Cabrera on Tuesday, per Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

However, just about every team in the majors could use Zobrist‘s versatility, so he is going to cost some talent. The Mariners might be better off targeting inexpensive trade candidates (like Ruggiano) or adding a free agent like Emilio Bonifacio for next to nothing.

A team in contention for a division—or even pennant—shouldn’t be relying on Willie Bloomquist, Romero and James Jones as it’s primary depth pieces. Seattle’s front office has done an excellent job of assembling a capable starting lineup, but it needs to apply some finishing touches before opening day.

Work on converting Brad Miller into an outfielder

One of the best in-house outfield options is converting Miller to the outfield. Miller is the type of athlete who could be successful in at least a corner spot and could fill a need on Seattle’s roster in a Zobrist-like type of role.

With Smith around, Miller won’t necessarily be needed as part of a right-field platoon. Still, he can help with the depth problems listed above and would allow the Mariners to keep both Chris Taylor and Miller in the lineup regularly, should they both play well.

It’s hard to predict how any player will respond to a position change, but the Mariners have had some success in the past transitioning infielders to the outfield. Outfield coach Andy Van Slyke deserves plenty of credit for helping Dustin Ackley convert into a successful left fielder, and he should get a chance to do the same with Miller.

Even it doesn’t pan out, there’s no harm in getting Miller some outfield reps during spring training.

Avoid selling the farm

General manager Jack Zduriencik has done a nice job of building a contender without giving up much top-tier young talent. Trading prospects could become even more tempting at the 2015 deadline depending on the situation the Mariners are in.

Apart from a questionable Michael Saunders trade, Zduriencik‘s deals dating back to last offseason have all been sound. The Mariners have been able to acquire players who filled needs while only giving up marginal prospects such as Abraham Almonte, Matt Brazis and Carter Capps.

The only real big name to be traded was Nick Franklin, but he was blocked in Seattle and returned a player with more than one year of team control.

Zduriencik must continue that for the rest of the offseason and the trade deadline. Young talent like Taijuan Walker and D.J. Peterson should not be leaving Seattle, particularly for rental players, even if the Mariners have a “win now” focus.

The Mariners have assembled a roster that can compete both now and in the future. They need to keep it that way in 2015.

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The list of potential fits to fill the Seattle Mariners‘ hole in right field seems to be shrinking by the day.

Melky Cabrera, likely Seattle’s top target, agreed to a three-year deal with the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score.

In addition, Alex Rios signed with the Kansas City Royals on Monday, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, which takes one more target off the board.

That leaves a very thin remaining free-agent market for outfielders. General manager Jack Zduriencik said that Seattle may have to “get creative” to address the team’s last weakness, via Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN.

The Mariners could elect to stay in-house or even try to convert Brad Miller into an outfielder. They also may swing an unexpected trade, with names like Seth Smith and Gerardo Parra popping up recently as possible fits, per Paul Casella of MLB.com. 

Even with the best outfielders already signed, a couple of free agents and players known to be available for trade could be options for the Mariners in right field.

Nori Aoki

With Cabrera gone, Aoki is probably the best free-agent outfielder left. The Mariners would prefer a right-handed hitter, but Aoki has a reverse platoon split for his career and would be a good fit to bat second in Seattle’s lineup.

Aoki is coming off a .285/.349/.360 season and has posted 6.2 WAR in his three-year major league career. He makes excellent contact and consistently posts strong OBP numbers without striking out much.

That’s nothing spectacular, but it’s far better than anything on Seattle’s current roster. If the Mariners landed Aoki, it would be hard to identify a major weakness on the team heading into 2015.

Aoki‘s cost might be inflated due to the thin remaining free-agent class—and he is a so-so defensive player. Still, Aoki would be a serviceable option during Seattle’s current window of competition.

Colby Rasmus

Rasmus is a very talented player who hasn’t risen into stardom due to inconsistency and injuries. When Rasmus has put it all together, the results have been excellent—including a 4.8 WAR season in 2013 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

But Rasmus has struggled more often than he has succeed in his career. He is coming off a .225/.287.448 campaign and has missed 102 games over the last two years.

Defensive metrics have not been kind to Rasmus in his career, and he has an awful platoon split against righties. A move to right field would boost his defensive value, but he doesn’t really fit with Seattle otherwise.

Whichever team signs Rasmus will be getting an intriguing addition with upside—and he’s not going to cost much. For a contending team like the Mariners that needs a reliable everyday player, he should be a last-resort option.

Justin Upton

After trading Jason Heyward earlier in the offseason, it became clear that the Atlanta Braves would be willing to move Upton in the last year of his contract. The Mariners would make sense as a potential landing spot.

Upton would certainly improve the team for 2015 and solidify Seattle’s chances at World Series contention. While Upton has never come close to matching his 6.1 WAR campaign in 2011, he is coming off his best season since and owns a 121 wRC+ for his career.

The problem is the cost to land Upton, as the Braves want a bigger return than they got for Heyward, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Atlanta is probably looking for either Taijuan Walker or James Paxton in a potential Upton deal.

Zduriencik is not going to trade five years of Paxton or six of Walker for one year of Upton. There’s a price where Upton makes sense, but the Braves would have to reduce the asking cost first.

Shane Victorino / Allen Craig

The Boston Red Sox did some work to free up a logjam by trading Yoenis Cespedes to the Detroit Tigers last week, per CJ Nitkowski of Fox Sports 1.

There are still too many outfielders on Boston’s roster, so either Victorino or Craig could be on the way out before the season.

As a one-year rental, Victorino shouldn’t cost anything more than a reliever, and he put up a 5.6 WAR season as recently as 2013. There’s obviously a concern about a 34-year-old who played just 30 games last season due to a back injury, but Victorino is likely still a more reliable option than Rasmus.

Craig is coming off a miserable -1.4 WAR season, so he won’t warrant a large return. He also has three years of team control and posted no worse than a 134 wRC+ with the St. Louis Cardinals between 2011 and 2013.

Both players have some upside and both could backfire in a major way. The Mariners would have to add a reliable fourth outfielder as insurance, but it might be worth it to send over a fringy prospect or a reliever like Yoervis Medina with their current situation.

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The MLB trade market figures to heat up when the annual winter meetings begin on Sunday in San Diego.

After two offseasons worth of rumors, the Seattle Mariners finally agreed to a four-year deal with Nelson Cruz worth $58 million on Monday, as reported by Bob Dutton of The (Tacoma) News Tribune. That clearly changes their strategy at the winter meetings, but the Mariners likely aren’t done yet.

Dutton adds that Seattle’s next priority will be to add a right fielder. The Mariners apparently believe Michael Saunders is not the answer, making him expendable and opening up a hole in the outfield.

Melky Cabrera and Torii Hunter are the best two free-agent fits remaining. However, that would force the Mariners to play one of them or Cruz on defense, which is far from ideal.

Instead, the Mariners may have to make a trade to get outfield help, which could very well happen at the upcoming meetings. But the deals general manager Jack Zduriencik avoids making will be just as important as the trades he makes.

Earlier in the offseason, Jon Morosi of Fox Sports reported that the Mariners had interest in Yoenis Cespedes and that the Boston Red Sox liked Hisashi Iwakuma, setting up the framework of a potential trade.

However, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times believes a straight one-for-one swap is unlikely and with good reason.

Cespedes may be a little overrated, but he is still a solid player with a .263/.316/.464 career line. He was worth 3.4 WAR a year ago and would presumably be somewhat of an upgrade over Dustin Ackley in left field.

Iwakuma put up 3.2 WAR last season, and there would be a substantial drop-off to whoever would replace him. Seattle would just be moving holes around with such a trade.

Justin Upton and Matt Kemp are potentially available, but the need is less after the Cruz addition. The Mariners are now going to be hesitant to trade six years of Taijuan Walker for one year of Upton or the $107 million remaining on Kemp’s contract.

Seattle’s roster could likely compete for a playoff spot as it stands. Still, there’s a sense of urgency to win now, and the Mariners might look to make a couple other moves to upgrade the outfield or add depth to the starting rotation.

Shop a relief pitcher

One of Seattle’s main strengths in 2014 was the bullpen, which led the majors with a 2.59 ERA. The Mariners don’t want to break that up too much, but relievers can be volatile year to year, and Seattle is deep at the position.

Fernando Rodney isn’t likely to be traded while the club is contending. Still, someone at peak value like Brandon Maurer or Tom Wilhelmsen could be a piece in a potential deal.

Seattle won’t get a big name at the cost of just a relief pitcher alone. But at the very least, the Mariners could grab a fourth outfielder who could platoon or fill in for Saunders should he be traded or miss time with injury.

Players like Justin Ruggiano and Marlon Byrd are among possible candidates. If Zduriencik can find a deal in the same vein as the Carter Capps for Logan Morrison trade of last winter, he should pull the trigger.

See what Chris Taylor or Brad Miller could bring back

It’s possible for Miller and Taylor to coexist on Seattle’s roster in 2015. Still, it would be better to get some value back rather than have one of them sit on the bench or in Triple-A.

Choosing between Taylor and Miller won’t be easy, however. 

Miller has posted roughly league-average numbers at the plate through the first 200 games of his career despite a horrible slump early last season and will likely improve.

Taylor hasn’t shown an ability to hit for any power whatsoever but brings value defensively and on the bases.

If the Mariners firmly decide on a starter, the backup could return a starting pitcher or outfield help. A package of a shortstop and a reliever lines up with the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ needs, but they would likely want more in exchange for Kemp unless the Mariners pick up a significant chunk of salary.

All stats via FanGraphs.com unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Seattle Mariners‘ list of free-agent targets is quickly shrinking.

According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick, Seattle was interested in Victor Martinez recently and Billy Butler leading up to the trade deadline, but those two players signed in the early weeks of free agency. Confirmed on Tuesday, Hanley Ramirez also agreed to a deal with the Boston Red Sox after Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Mariners were “aggressively pursuing” Ramirez two weeks ago.

It appears that Seattle will have to turn to the trade market to address its needs in the outfield or DH. Still, the Mariners must avoid making any desperate decisions, as there are still a few free agents available who could help the team.

Nelson Cruz is the most likely free-agent addition, while others have longer odds to come to Seattle.

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Seven Seattle Mariners prospects concluded play at the Arizona Fall League last weekend.

The Mariners sent three position players and four pitchers to the league, which lasted nearly a month-and-a-half and attracted some of the top prospects in baseball.

Among those representing Seattle were Taijuan Walker and D.J. Peterson, two of the top young players in the club’s system.

However, Walker left Arizona early due to personal reasons, as reported by Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com. Peterson struggled at the plate as well, failing to live up to some lofty expectations.

Although the two main attractions may have been disappointing, Seattle did get good AFL performances out of some other players. Here’s how all seven of the Mariners prospects graded out.

All stats via FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

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With a top-heavy free-agent class and some obvious holes to fill, the Seattle Mariners figure to be interested in some of the premier players available on the market.

The Mariners need some help on offense to complement a strong pitching staff that nearly led Seattle to the postseason in 2014. According to President Kevin Mather in an interview on Brock and Salk on 710 ESPN, payroll is set to increase, meaning the Mariners will be in the fold for players like Victor Martinez, Nelson Cruz and Yasmany Tomas.

Even if Seattle were to land one of those big names, it may be interested in making more additions. The Mariners have a need at designated hitter, outfielder and potentially the back of the rotation.

Payroll may indeed go up, but Seattle will likely only be able to add one player from the top of the free-agent class. General manager Jack Zduriencik will have to look for some bargains to fill all of Seattle’s needs.

This year’s crop of free agents isn’t very deep, and most of the potential bargains are on the pitching side. None of these four players would be make-or-break signings for Seattle but could be relatively cheap complementary pieces if the Mariners are able to land one of the big names.

Jason Hammel, SP

It would make some sense for the Mariners to add a veteran pitcher to the back of the rotation, particularly if they decide Chris Young won’t be able to repeat his 2014 performance.

Brandon McCarthy could fill that role nicely but will be tough to keep away from the New York Yankees. Hammel could be one of several other potential options who will be a bit cheaper than McCarthy.

Despite a poor second half with the Oakland Athletics, Hammel has some upside. He was outstanding to begin the season with the Chicago Cubs (2.98 ERA, 3.19 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) in 17 starts) and has totaled 2.6 WAR or better in three separate seasons.

Hammel has one of the higher fly-ball rates in the league at 38.5 percent, so Safeco Field could help him cut down on home runs. There’s risk here after the ugly stint in Oakland, but that makes Hammel an intriguing buy-low candidate.

One factor that could steer the Mariners away from Hammel is that he could command a multiyear deal when someone like Young may only require one year.

Chris Capuano, SP

If the Mariners really want to save money in the rotation but still bring in a veteran with some value, Capuano is a good candidate.

Following a series of injury setbacks, Capuano has been solid over the past three seasons, posting no worse than a 4.35 ERA or 3.95 FIP. Capuano was a valuable member of the Yankees rotation in the second half and could add depth to a number of thin pitching staffs across the majors.

The Mariners could likely bring in Capuano for one year and no more than $3 million, so the move wouldn’t carry any risk. Even if Capuano doesn’t work out, Seattle would be comfortable knowing it could fall back on Taijuan Walker or Roenis Elias at any time.

Alex Rios, OF

The fact that Rios could be considered a bargain speaks more to the strength of this year’s free-agent class than his value.

Rios had a down year in 2014, posting a .280/.311/.398 line in 131 games with the Texas Rangers. That means Rios is a big risk heading into 2015, but he may also be willing to take a short, cheap deal to rebuild value.

It was fair to expect the 33-year-old to decline, but it seems unlikely that all of Rios’ power should have vanished so suddenly. Anything close to the 3.1 WAR Rios posted in 2013 could help Seattle given its current outfield situation.

Rios posted a 142 Weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+) against left-handers even in a down season and owns a .800 OPS against lefties for his career. He could platoon with someone in the corner outfield (depending on what happens with Michael Saunders) or switch over to DH.

Whether the Mariners want to pay around $8 million for what essentially amounts to a platoon player is a different story. Still, with how weak the bottom of the market is, Rios may be the most valuable complementary piece available.

All stats via FanGraphs.com unless otherwise noted. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With MLB free agency beginning Monday night, the Seattle Mariners can officially start signing players in an attempt to upgrade their offense.

One of the best pitching staffs in baseball wasn’t enough to get the Mariners into the playoffs, as Seattle ranked 11th in runs scored in the American League. General manager Jack Zduriencik has already indicated that payroll will rise in 2015, via Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune, meaning the Mariners will be active in free agency and the trade market.

This season’s free-agency class is relatively weak overall, but it does have a number of intriguing players at the top. Seattle will look closely at Victor Martinez, Nelson Cruz or Billy Butler to establish a presence in the middle of its lineup. 

The Colorado Rockies unexpectedly extended a qualifying offer to Michael Cuddyer, likely taking one of Seattle’s top targets out of the picture.

Still, the Mariners have a few options who could improve the club enough to make the postseason in 2015. Getting all three of these ideal free-agent pickups isn’t going to happen, but the Mariners would be very happy if any of them landed in Seattle.

Victor Martinez, DH

Any of those big-name sluggers carry their own set of risks, but Martinez is the best overall option for the Mariners at this point.

Martinez was one of the best hitters in the majors last season, posting a 335/.409/.565 line with 32 home runs. He’s 35 years old and will require an expensive three- or four-year contract, but Martinez is good enough to push the Mariners over the top in 2015.

The Mariners have to expect any player to suffer a drop in power production after moving to Safeco Field. Martinez can do more at the plate than just hit home runs, making him an ideal candidate over Cruz and others.

Despite never totaling more than 25 home runs in a year prior to last season, Martinez owns a career 133 wRC+. Martinez has also posted an on-base percentage of over .370 six times in his career, including a .409 clip in 2014. 

Adding that production to Seattle’s lineup in between Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager would solidify the middle of the order for the first time in years, at least for the near future. Martinez is a risk, but the window is open for the Mariners to take such a risk. 

Yasmani Tomas, OF

Tomas is the wild card of this year’s free-agency period. He’s going to be expensive, and nobody is going to be able to accurately predict how well he will translate to the major leagues, but he has the potential to shape a franchise for years to come.

While not quite on the same level as Jose Abreu, Tomas does appear to be one of the more talented power hitters to come out of Cuba in recent memory. Ben Badler of Baseball America offered his scouting report on Tomas.

A righthanded-hitting corner outfielder, Tomas can hit towering home runs thanks to the strength from his thickly-built 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame. Tomas has 70 raw power on the 20-80 scale, and with Jose Abreu already gone, the only player still in Cuba with more raw power than him was Alfredo Despaigne. He has some experience in center field and is a decent runner for his size, but his speed is still below-average and he’s going to be a corner outfielder in pro ball.

On the surface, that sounds like the type of player Seattle has been trying to bring in for years. Tomas will also be just 24 years old next season and his contract will run through his prime, which may be more appealing than banking on an aging power hitter avoiding decline.

Even with the raw tools, Tomas is an unknown, so there’s plenty of risk here too. Tomas is still absolutely worth the right price, particularly if Martinez and others sign elsewhere first.

Brandon McCarthy, SP

The Mariners could roll with the young trio of James Paxton, Taijuan Walker and Roenis Elias behind their outstanding top two in the rotation. With no depth behind that, one injury would mean a lot of Erasmo Ramirez starts again, unless Danny Hultzen is fully recovered. 

A more ideal situation would be signing a veteran mid-level starter to take some of the pressure off the young guys (Walker in particular) and add depth. Chris Young would work just fine in that role, but McCarthy could be a higher-upside option who would come relatively cheaply.

McCarthy pitched better last season than his 4.05 ERA would indicate, posting a 3.55 FIP and 2.87 xFIP. He was particularly good after being traded to the New York Yankees midseason, striking out 82 batters in 90.1 innings while walking just 13.

John Harper of the New York Daily News reports that the Yankees had McCarthy change his pitch selection after coming to New York.

On Saturday, GM Brian Cashman said that a study by the club’s analytics department before the trade convinced the Yankees that McCarthy could get back to the success he had enjoyed in previous years if he reincorporated his cutter, a pitch the Diamondbacks instructed him to stop throwing this season.

In addition, McCann went to McCarthy after catching him in Cleveland last week and convinced him to throw his four-seam fastball up in the zone at times as a counter of sorts to his sinker.

That indicates McCarthy may have found the key to his success moving forward, but the Yankees won’t let him go easily. If he doesn’t end up back in New York for whatever reason, McCarthy would be a nice fit in Seattle.

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Prior to a year in which they are expected to contend, the Seattle Mariners have a few key decisions to make during the offseason.

Seattle finds itself in the rare position of trying to win now rather than building toward the future. The last two times the Mariners were coming off a winning season (2007 and 2009), they made disastrous signings and trades that resulted in poor records the following year.

While the Mariners won’t lose too much from their 2014 roster, they do need a few upgrades to be a playoff team in 2015. Seattle needs a better offense and will have to think carefully about a few free agents or trades over the winter.

Most of the Mariners’ biggest decisions this offseason will revolve around the offense, but Jack Zduriencik and Company will look carefully at the entire roster to try and build a contending team.

What to Do with Michael Saunders

The biggest news coming out of Seattle this offseason has revolved around Saunders.

At the Mariners’ wrap-up press conference, both Zduriencik and manager Lloyd McClendon claimed that Saunders needed to do more to keep himself healthy over the course of the season, via Colin O’Keefe of Lookout Landing. Then, in an interview with 1090 The Fan (via CBS Seattle), Saunders’ agent said that he was “frustrated” with the comments and that the team lacked communication with his client.

The relationship between the Mariners and Saunders is fractured, meaning the team will have a big decision to make regarding him this offseason. Saunders is the most talented outfielder on the team and put up a 1.9 WAR in just 78 games but has been injured far too often during his career.

Seattle could choose to move in a different direction and try to trade Saunders, although that could end up being a huge mistake with little outfield depth behind him. The Mariners also may look for a reliable backup to start in place of Saunders two or three times per week in order to keep him off the disabled list.

Either way, the Mariners must decide what Saunders’ future role on the team will look like.

Which Risky Free-Agent Slugger Is Worth It?

Club president Kevin Mather told 710 ESPN that payroll will increase in 2015. That means the Mariners will look at some free-agent signings likely to upgrade the designated hitter position, which produced all of minus-2.1 WAR in 2014.

While they are far from the only options, the Mariners will be connected with three free agents throughout the offseason: Victor Martinez, Nelson Cruz and Billy Butler—if the Kansas City Royals decline his $12.5 million option.

All three could help the Mariners, but they each carry a significant risk.

Martinez is about to turn 36 (Dec.) and will be expensive after coming off the best offensive season of his career. Any suitor would have to expect Martinez’s numbers to trend downward, but he could still be a huge factor in the middle of Seattle’s lineup by just matching his career 125 wRC+ over the next couple of seasons.

Cruz will turn 35 next year and will also be looking for a multiyear contract. While Cruz won’t hit 40 home runs in Seattle and his skill set may be more prone to decline than Martinez’s, he could help the Mariners for at least the next two years.

Butler is coming off the worst season of any of the three but has not yet turned 29. He will be cheaper than the other two and might be worth a flier to see if he can return to his 2009-2013 form, when he posted no worse than a 117 wRC+.

Any one of those three could be the missing piece to Seattle’s lineup, but they all could backfire down the road.

How Much Outfield Help Do the Mariners Need?

The Mariners currently have the pieces to form a starting outfield, but all three potential members have some questions heading into 2015.

Saunders’ future in Seattle is a complete question mark at this point. Even if he enters the season as the starting right fielder, the Mariners will need a capable backup in case Saunders heads to the disabled list again.

Who knows if the Mariners will have the Dustin Ackley of the first half (76 wRC+) or the second half (123 wRC+)? Even Austin Jackson will be monitored closely into next season after struggling mightily since coming to Seattle at the trade deadline.

Assuming Chris Denorfia and Endy Chavez are gone, the Mariners will need outfield depth, but they must decide what type of player to bring in. Seattle could choose to bring in a fourth outfielder-type who could start if needed or target a bigger name like Melky Cabrera.

Is the Rotation Set?

Much like with the outfield, the Mariners could form a starting rotation with the current roster in 2015 but may decide to add some depth.

Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are locked in at the top of the rotation, while James Paxton looks very good through his first 17 career starts. As it stands now, Taijuan Walker and Roenis Elias would occupy the last two rotation spots.

Both have great potential, but that’s asking a lot out of two young pitchers, particularly the 22-year-old Walker. Paxton, Walker and Elias also have some health concerns, so the Mariners will likely decide to add some depth unless they trust Erasmo Ramirez to fill in. 

The easiest decision for the Mariners to make would be to bring back Chris Young on a short incentive-laden deal, which would be beneficial for both parties. If Young ends up elsewhere, Seattle will have to choose between moving forward with what it has or adding a mid-level starter.

Who Are the Trade Chips?

With a relatively weak market, the Mariners may have to make some trades to add offense. They must decide what positions are strong enough to trade assets from while also balancing the present and future.

One position the Mariners will have to make a decision at is shortstop. Both Brad Miller and Chris Taylor received playing time last year, while the 21-year-old Ketel Marte has risen fast through the minors and looks to have some value.

The Mariners may be content to let Miller and Taylor battle for playing time out of spring training. If they do commit to one (likely Miller), the other could end up on the trading block.

Another position Seattle has some depth at is relief pitcher. While having a shutdown bullpen was a big part of the Mariners’ success in 2014, trading someone whose value is currently at a peak like Brandon Maurer for some offense could be worth it.

All stats via FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Coming off of an 87-75 season, the Seattle Mariners are set up to make a run at the postseason in 2015.

Seattle retains the top two members of an outstanding starting rotation that could be even greater soon if some young pitchers continue to develop. Offensively, the Mariners have a strong core in Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager to build around and become contenders.

However, the Mariners have a few needs they need to address if they are to get over the hump and make the postseason for the first time since 2001. With some free-agent options, Mariners president Kevin Mather told 710 ESPN Seattle that payroll would increase next season.

Upgrading anywhere would obviously help, but the Mariners have four needs to focus on over the offseason.

4. Left-handed Reliever

Seattle’s pitching success was not just due to its rotation, as the Mariners’ bullpen posted the best ERA in the majors. Seven of the eight main relievers will be back for 2015, with Carson Smith also looking ready for the majors.

The only member of the bullpen who is a free agent is Joe Beimel. Beimel far exceeded expectations at 37 years old, posting a 2.20 ERA (4.18 FIP) in 55 games.

While Beimel was probably a bit fortunate to post such a low ERA given his peripherals, he was one of only two left-handers in the Seattle bullpen. If Beimel leaves, the only lefty remaining will be Charlie Furbush.

Seattle’s bullpen might have enough talent to be fine with only one left-hander, so signing another isn’t an absolute must. Still, bringing in another wouldn’t hurt.

The free-agent class doesn’t offer much other than Andrew Miller and Zach Duke, who are going to command big contracts. Giving Beimel another one-year deal makes as much sense as anything.

3. Starting pitcher

As the roster currently stands, the Mariners could form a strong starting rotation to open 2015. Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, James Paxton, Taijuan Walker and Roenis Elias will all be returning to Seattle, giving the Mariners a staff with plenty of upside.

However, that’s placing a lot of the club’s potential success in the hands of a trio of very young pitchers. Paxton was injured for much of 2014, while Walker also suffered a shoulder injury and at times didn’t look quite ready for the major leagues when he was healthy.

The Mariners discovered Elias, who looks to be a solid back-end starter, as a result of the injuries, but there are some concerns about a flexor bundle strain he picked up in the last start of his season.

Without being completely necessary to the club’s success, it would make sense for the Mariners to target a mid-level starter to add some depth. Re-signing Chris Young would make sense, as he is a perfect fit in Seattle, and the Mariners would have either Walker or Elias to replace Young should he get injured or show signs of regression.

If Young ends up somewhere else for whatever reason, a relatively cheap addition like Brandon McCarthy would be a good option.

2. Outfield

The Mariners’ starting outfield appears to be set for Opening Day 2015 with Austin Jackson, Dustin Ackley and Michael Saunders. However, all three have question marks heading into the season.

Saunders carries the biggest risk. When healthy, Saunders is one of Seattle’s most productive players, but he isn’t shedding the “injury prone” label anytime soon after appearing in only 78 games in 2014.

General manager Jack Zduriencik echoed that sentiment in an interview with 1090 The Fan’s The Steve Sandmeyer Show (h/t Lookout Landing):

I think the biggest challenge with Michael has been trying to keep him healthy. I think he had 230-some at-bats this year, through the course of the season when you were hoping he’d have 500-600. I think that’s been the issue, not only this year but in years gone by so, the challenge for Michael is to prepare himself to be able to play a complete season. Now, some injuries are freak injuries—other injuries are injuries that are, you know, could they have been prevented and I think that’s something for Michael to answer. But he’s a talented player, he’s a very, very nice young man and, do I hope Michael’s a part of this thing? Of course I do. But it’s up to Michael to put himself in a position where he can play through the course of a full season.

That seems to indicate that the Mariners will need a strong fourth outfielder behind Saunders. Seattle hoped to get that when they traded for Chris Denorfia at the trade deadline, but he struggled over the last two months of the season.

The Mariners would be quite happy if Ackley continued the production he put up in the second half of 2014, but he has to prove he can sustain it long-term. Even Jackson isn’t a certainty after struggling since the trade deadline, but a two-month slump shouldn’t cause him to lose the center field job to start 2015.

Unless Seattle believes Stefen Romero or Julio Morban is ready to contribute in the majors, it needs to add some outfield depth in the offseason.

1. Designated Hitter/First Base

Zduriencik didn’t hide his plans for the offseason, via Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune:

We will explore every opportunity out there.I think we’ll be reasonably aggressive in trying to do something to try to add an offensive piece or two. Where all of this ends up, none of us knows. We’ll enter the free-agent scenario, and (we’ll) see what’s available on the trade market. We will be pretty aggressive in trying to add to this ballclub.

Looking at current roster construction, that offensive piece needs to be either a designated hitter or first baseman. Logan Morrison has done enough to earn the starting job at one of those positions (likely first), but the Mariners desperately need a middle-of-the-order bat to fill the other.

Seattle is going to be connected with names like Nelson Cruz, Victor Martinez and Billy Butler all offseason long. All of those players are risky and will likely be overpaid, but the Mariners might be in a position to take a long-term risk if it means getting better over the next year or two.

The Mariners are also going to take a long look at Kendrys Morales, but it’s probably time for both parties to move in another direction. If Seattle can add the right offensive piece, they will make a serious run at the postseason in 2015.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Despite falling just short of making the postseason, the Seattle Mariners had an exciting 2014 season.

The Mariners were in contention for the AL Wild Card until Game 162 of the year and were relevant well into September for the first time in several seasons. The wild-card race provided several thrilling moments for a fanbase that hasn’t had much to cheer for in quite some time.

Austin Jackson’s stretch to beat out the game-winner in Game 161 and Logan Morrison’s three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angles Angels will be remembered as some of the top moments from the race in September. However, the Mariners provided thrills to remember throughout the year.

Ten of these moments stand out as the best, based on importance and the long-term impact on the team.

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