Nicole: You won a division title with a losing record. You fired your manager after the season ended. And now you have more third basemen than you know what to do with. The Seattle Mariners are living in the most chaotic offseason in franchise history.
Kevin: It’s a paradox. They finished 76-86 but they’re still the AL West champions. And now, with free agency starting November 2nd, every single roster spot is up for grabs. It’s not just about who stays; it’s about who even makes the team.
Nicole: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network. I’m Nicole, and this is the daily show where we break down the stories that matter most to your team. I’m joined by Kevin, who has been tracking these roster battles since day one.
Kevin: Happy Halloween, everyone. Or as we call it in Seattle, 'Roster Purge Day.' We’ve got three huge topics today. First, the absolute logjam at third base. Second, the bullpen hierarchy question—especially with Andrés Muñoz locked in but the rest of the relief corps looking wide open. And third, my bold prediction on who gets cut before Spring Training.
Nicole: We’re also going to revisit that Joe Espada interview. Remember, we talked about him yesterday? The Mariners got permission to talk to the Astros' manager. If he’s hired, how does he handle this mess? Let’s dive into Segment One: The Third Base Logjam.
Nicole: Kevin, let’s start with the elephant in the room. Look at the roster list. Patrick Wisdom. Leo Rivas. Weston Wilson. Brendan Donovan. That’s four guys listed at third base. Plus, you’ve got Michael Arroyo and Brock Rodden at shortstop who could shift over if needed. How do you even fit them?
Kevin: It’s a nightmare scenario. If you look at the depth chart, Patrick Wisdom is the only one with major league power who can stick there long-term. But then you bring in Brendan Donovan, who is essentially a utility player who plays third well. He’s not a full-time third baseman. He’s a platoon piece or a bench bat.
Nicole: Right, so Donovan is probably moving to second or staying versatile. But what about Wisdom vs. Rivas? Wisdom is older, coming off a decent year, but Rivas is young. If Joe Espada comes in—and remember, we said yesterday that stricter hierarchies might be his style—he needs clarity.
Kevin: Exactly. And here’s the thing about Espada: he’s an offensive-minded guy from Houston. He likes contact. He likes players who can put the ball in play. Wisdom swings for the fences a lot. Rivas is more of a contact hitter. If Espada values OBP and situational hitting, Rivas might actually win the job over Wisdom, unless Wisdom proves he can hit lefties consistently.
Nicole: But wait, don’t forget Weston Wilson. He’s another bat. So basically, you have Wisdom, Rivas, and Wilson all fighting for maybe two spots, with Donovan as the wildcard. What happens to the other two? Do they get outrighted?
Kevin: That’s the risk. If they have options, they can send them down. But if they’re veterans, they might have trade value. This is where the front office has to be smart. You don’t want to carry five infielders. You need balance. Josh Naylor is at first base, Cole Young and Ryan Bliss are at second. You have Cal Raleigh catching. You need defensive stability at the corner infield spots.
Nicole: So, my take is: Wisdom stays because of his name recognition and power, Rivas goes to the minors to compete for a bench spot, and Wilson... well, Wilson might be the odd man out unless he hits well in the Arizona Fall League. Does that sound right to you?
Kevin: I’d say Wisdom starts at DH against lefties sometimes. That gives you flexibility. And Rivas? He’s got a shot. He’s young, he’s fast, and he fits the Espada mold. I think Wilson is the most likely to be non-tendered or traded if no deal happens before the deadline. But honestly, this whole group is fragile. One injury to Brady Singer or someone else, and suddenly Rivas is starting.
Nicole: Fragile indeed. Alright, let’s move to Segment Two: The Bullpen Hierarchy. We know Andrés Muñoz is back. His $9 million option was exercised. He’s our closer. But beyond him, it’s a zoo. Who runs the middle innings?
Nicole: Look at the relievers. Eduard Bazardo, Cooper Criswell, Seranthony Dominguez, Jose Ferrer, Andres Munoz, Michael Rucker, Josh Simpson, Gabe Speier, Troy Taylor, Carlos Vargas, Cole Wilcox. That’s eleven pitchers. Most teams carry eight or nine. Who is getting cut?
Kevin: First off, stop saying 'Andres Munoz' twice. It’s Andrés Muñoz. Just once. Okay, so you have Muñoz locked in. Then you have Gabe Speier, who had a solid year. He’s reliable. He’s a high-leverage arm. He’s probably safe. Then you have Josh Simpson. He’s been inconsistent, but he has stuff. And Troy Taylor? He’s been good lately.
Nicole: What about the rookies or younger arms? Michael Rucker, Carlos Vargas, Cole Wilcox. Wilcox is a former top prospect. Does he make the team as a starter or a reliever?
Kevin: Wilcox is interesting. He’s got velocity. But if he’s not a starter, he needs to be dominant in relief. Right now, he’s risky. I think the Mariners will keep him in camp as a swingman. But if they need to trim, he’s vulnerable. Same with Cooper Criswell. He’s got a nice slider, but does he have the command to survive in the majors consistently?
Nicole: I’m worried about Eduard Bazardo. He’s older. He’s coming off some injury concerns. Is he worth a roster spot when you have younger guys like Vargas and Rucker? Unless he brings veteran leadership, which is great, but can he pitch?
Kevin: Bazardo is a toss-up. If he’s healthy, he’s fine. But if he’s not 100%, he’s dead weight. And that’s the problem with this bullpen. It’s too deep with mediocre arms. You need elite arms. You have Muñoz. You need another guy like Speier who can close out games if Muñoz gets tired. But then you have to decide: do you go with experience or youth?
Nicole: This is where Joe Espada comes in again. If he’s hired, he’ll want to establish a clear chain of command. No more 'next man up' chaos. He’ll pick a setup man. A bridge guy. And he’ll cut the rest. My guess? He keeps Speier, Simpson, Taylor, and Muñoz. That’s four. Then he picks one more from the younger group. Maybe Vargas.
Kevin: I agree with Taylor. He’s been effective. And Vargas has upside. But I think they’ll also try to trade someone. Maybe Bazardo or Criswell. There’s demand for veteran relievers. If they can get a prospect back, they should do it. Otherwise, you’re carrying nine guys who aren’t quite good enough to be essential.
Nicole: So, the battle is really for those last two spots. Speier is locked. Muñoz is locked. It’s Simpson, Taylor, Vargas, and maybe Rucker or Wilcox fighting for two spots. And anyone else is likely gone. It’s going to be brutal camp competition.
Kevin: Brutal. And don’t forget, Victor Robles was declined. He’s a free agent. So you lost some speed and defense in the outfield. That puts more pressure on Grant McCray and Lazaro Montes to perform. If they struggle, you might need another bat. Which brings us to the outfield.
Nicole: Let’s talk about the cuts. Who is trending down? Who is trending up? We mentioned Robles is out. What about Dominic Canzone? He’s listed as a DH. Does he have a future here?
Kevin: Canzone is trending down. He’s not hitting well enough to justify a roster spot, especially with Naylor and Wilson around. Unless he shows a massive improvement in October—which he didn’t—he’s likely gone. Same with Willie MacIver and Jhonny Pereda behind the plate. Cal Raleigh is the guy. MacIver is a backup. Pereda is organizational depth. They aren’t making the team.
Nicole: Okay, so Canzone, MacIver, Pereda are likely out. What about the starters? Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Kade Anderson, Emerson Hancock, Emilio Pagan (wait, he’s not on the list), Carlos Vargas (RP), Troy Watson. Who is in danger?
Kevin: Troy Watson is the most vulnerable starter. He’s young, he’s unproven. If he doesn’t dominate in camp, he goes to the bullpen. Same with Robinson Ortiz. He’s a reliever primarily. He might start if someone gets hurt, but he’s not a rotation staple yet. Kade Anderson? He’s a rookie. He’s risky. But if he strikes people out, they’ll keep him.
Nicole: Emerson Hancock! Remember our prediction from last week? We said he would be a breakout star if he stays healthy. Well, he’s healthy. He’s throwing well in the offseason. Do you think he wins the fifth spot over Watson?
Kevin: Absolutely. Hancock has the stuff. He’s got a good changeup. He’s got control. If he can stay in the zone, he’s better than Watson. And definitely better than Ortiz as a starter. So my prediction: Hancock makes the rotation. Watson goes to the bullpen or gets designated for assignment. Ortiz stays as a long reliever.
Nicole: So, final roster cuts: Canzone, MacIver, Pereda, Watson, and maybe Bazardo or Criswell from the bullpen. That clears up space. But wait, before we wrap up, we need to talk about the future. Our prediction from earlier this week was that the Mariners finish 80-82 next year. With these changes, do you still stand by that?
Kevin: I do. Because the core is strong. Julio Rodriguez is elite. Cal Raleigh is elite. Gilbert and Kirby are top-of-the-rotation arms. Woo is emerging. If the bullpen figures itself out—even if it’s mediocre—they’re still an 80-win team. Maybe 82 if the offense clicks. But they’re not going to be contenders yet. Not until they add a true ace or a power hitter.
Nicole: Agreed. It’s a building year. But it’s an exciting build. Now, before we go, we have a quick ask for you. If you love this show, please consider supporting us. It takes a lot of work to put out a fresh episode every single day, covering all the teams, all the angles, all the drama. A small contribution helps keep this network free and daily for fans like you. Just check the link in the episode description. Thank you for keeping us going.
Nicole: Thanks for listening to the Beatline. Today we broke down the third base logjam, the bullpen chaos, and made our final roster predictions. We think Hancock breaks out, Wisdom stays, and Espada brings order to the madness. Join us tomorrow for more Mariners news.
Kevin: Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review. Share this with a fellow Mariner fan. Let’s get the word out. Up the Fish!
Nicole: Up the Fish! See you tomorrow.