Seattle Mariners 2017 roster and positional breakdown

The skinny: Drew Smyly’s late-spring injury is a major concern. The Mariners like their depth, and Miranda pitched well last season as a starter, but losing Smyly is a blow. Beyond that, Hernandez will be scrutinized to whether he can bounce back from a disappointing year. Paxton took a big step forward last year, and club officials are hoping he is finally emerging as a reliable impact starter. Iwakuma will try to keep his age at bay for another year but need an occasional extra day of rest. Gallardo is much like Hernandez, on a lower level, in that he must prove last year’s poor performance was an outlier caused by an injury.

 

The skinny: This unit is in flux because Steve Cishek recovered slowly from October hip surgery and Shae Simmons, a power arm acquired from Atlanta, is still battling forearm soreness. Tony Zych is, like Cishek, is recovering from surgery but should be ready within a week. Everything though hinges on Diaz, a sensation last season after making the jump from Double-A, continuing to perform as a lockdown closer. If that happens, everything else should fall in line. The Mariners acquired a much-needed proven matchup lefty in Rzepczynski and could have two if Pazos performs as he did in spring training. Vincent and Scribner are reliable right-handers, which is what Cishek should be when he returns. Altavilla is a power right-hander who could emerge as a backup closer.

 

The skinny: One of the bigger questions facing the Mariners is whether Zunino can cut down on his tendency to swing at pitches nowhere near the strike zone. If he can hit .220-plus with an on-base percentage north of .300, his defensive skills are sufficient to make him a plus player. (His career numbers are .195 and .262. No team can live with that.) Ruiz was a long-time starter in Philadelphia but, at 38, he’s a backup. He should be a plus but asking him to start more than twice a week could be pushing the envelope.

 

The skinny: The mid-March decision to send Dan Vogelbach to Triple-A Tacoma leaves Valencia as the full-time first baseman, and the subsequent decision to break camp with eight relievers positions Motter as the only backup. Motter’s versatility makes that a viable short-term option because the other three starters have All-Star pedigrees. Cano is coming off a terrific all-round season and, even at 34, there’s no reason to expect an immediate decline. Seager is a star who often gets overlooked outside of the Pacific Northwest even though his numbers get better each year. Segura arrives after a breakout year last season at Arizona.

 

The skinny: The Mariners finally have the athletic outfield that Jerry Dipoto promised when he became general manager in late September 2015. Dyson is more than just a flier; he’s also a plus defender who should get a chance, for the first time in his career, to be more than a platoon player. Haniger is a right fielder with center-field-type range and a cannon for an arm. Club officials also believe he’s an impact hitter. In-between, Martin is also plus defender who is seeking greater consistency at the plate. With David Ortiz now retired, Cruz looms as the game’s pre-eminent designated hitter. Heredia is a plus-plus defender who had an impressive spring in beating out Ben Gamel for the backup job.

This story was originally published April 2, 2017 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Seattle Mariners 2017 roster and positional breakdown."