Who Replaces the Mariners’ Departing Free Agents?

The Mariners can survive losing any one of their impending free agents. However, doing so without adequately replacing them is how a disappointing season turns into something much worse.

Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander face a challenge with replacing a couple of veteran options. They could lose their most consistent offensive player in 2026, its longest-tenured clubhouse leader and some of the experience surrounding a young roster.

The farm system offers options but it doesn’t offer ready-made solutions for everyone walking out the door.

Seattle should use its prospects to replace complementary players. Asking them to replace established stars could be the equivalent of doing nothing while insisting it has a plan. Here is what the Mariners’ replacement blueprint should look like.

Randy Arozarena Leaves the Mariners With Their Biggest Problem

There’s nobody inside the organization who can replace Randy Arozarena right now. Lázaro Montes has enormous power and upside. Michael Arroyo has a fascinating bat. Luke Raley has been inconsistent and injury-prone. And we can only hope Dominic Canzone can replicate his breakout season. None should be presented as a clean replacement for the player who gave Seattle 26 home runs, 26 stolen bases, 113 runs and a steady presence near the top of the lineup.

It’s not a dig at their young guys. There just hasn’t been enough data gathered to assume they’re a sure thing.

The Mariners reasonably believe an Arozarena contract will age poorly. So it’s likely they won’t enter a bidding war to get him back in Seattle. They do, however, have to replace the offense. 

Free-Agent Option: Seiya Suzuki

Seiya Suzuki (.270/.368/.473, 26 HR, 86 RBIs in 2026) would be the closest free-agent substitute. He brings right-handed power, on-base ability and stubborn at-bats the Mariners could use. He’s also slightly older than Arozarena and should attract plenty of competition. If the Mariners are unwilling to enter one expensive corner-outfield market, we shouldn’t assume they will suddenly become aggressive in another.

Suzuki makes sense. Whether ownership will pay what it takes to sign him is a separate question.

Trade Option: Matt Shaw

Matt Shaw (.237/.327/.410, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 4 SB, 77 games in 2026) fits the organization’s usual preferences. He’s young, controllable, right-handed and capable of moving around the diamond. He’s not close to the offensive force as Arozarena, but at least there’s a coherent argument for betting on his upside. Shaw could provide Seattle with a long-term lineup piece rather than another short-term stopgap.

Acquiring him would require a meaningful trade package. Logan Gilbert would be an overpay. Trading a frontline starter to replace an outfielder who left in free agency would create a new problem while solving only part of the old one.

Emerson Hancock or a prospect-based package would be easier to justify. If that’s not enough, Seattle should consider it.

Internal Option: Luke Raley or Dominic Canzone

Raley and Canzone can help cover the position. But even collectively, they can’t replace the production. Canzone has graduated to more of an everyday role in the lineup between the outfield and DH. Raley has been more useful in a platoon.

Best path: Sign Suzuki or acquire another established impact bat. Treat the internal choices as complementary pieces.

Colt Emerson Should Get the First Chance at Shortstop

J.P. Crawford’s departure will feel different. He didn’t provide enough offense in 2026, but his value to the Mariners cannot be reduced to only a slash line. He became a clubhouse leader, survived several versions of the organization’s roster plan and gave Seattle stability at a premium position.

Still, as painful as it is, this may be the moment to move forward. The Mariners spent years building one of baseball’s best farm systems. At some point, that young talent has to receive an honest opportunity.

Internal Option: Colt Emerson

Emerson has already reached the majors, so the Mariners don’t need to invent a temporary path to him. They need to decide whether he is ready to own the position.

His first exposure to the big leagues didn’t look great, but that’s hardly unusual for a young shortstop. The bat looked overmatched at times, and his health remains an important part of the conversation. Neither concern should automatically send him back to the minors.

If Emerson returns healthy and looks sharp in camp (if there is camp due to the impending CBA lockout), the shortstop job should be his to lose. At the same time, that shouldn’t mean he’s guaranteed 600 plate appearances with no safety net. Remember, Emerson will not be swinging a bat this offseason while he recovers from wrist surgery.

The Mariners are going to need a backup plan. Let’s assume that it won’t be a short-term deal with J.P. Crawford and look at other options.

Stopgap Option: Mauricio Dubón

Mauricio Dubón (.276/.321/.399, 12 home runs, 10 stolen bases in 2026) would make sense as insurance. He could cover shortstop if Emerson struggles, move elsewhere when Emerson settles in and prevent Seattle from forcing Leo Rivas or Michael Arroyo into roles that may not fit them.

That is what a stopgap should be: protection for the plan while not being the plan itself.

Dubón would also give a young roster another experienced player capable of handling several positions. With Crawford potentially leaving, that stability would be big. Dubón would also be a massive upgrade as a defender after finishing 2026 with +6 OAA.

Expensive Option: Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.231/.312/.399, 19 HR, 55 RBI, 41 SB in 2026) would raise the ceiling considerably, but he would also bring a substantial price tag and a volatile offensive profile.

The power and speed can play anywhere, including T-Mobile Park. He has proven he can change a game on the bases or put a mistake in the seats. He can also be an extremely frustrating watch. At times he looks befuddled at the plate, his strike zone awareness can look poor and fans tend to lose patience when the strikeouts pile up during a cold streak.

Seattle should still explore the market. Though he’s not a fix at shortstop, he could still boost the infield at third base and work the keystone if the Mariners need to slide Cole Young over.

Development Option: Expand Michael Arroyo’s Role

The Mariners should continue developing Arroyo at multiple positions. He doesn’t need to become a full-time shortstop, but increasing his comfort around the infield would create more paths to playing time and keep his bat in the lineup. He only appeared in 15 games in September, but hit safely 13 times in 35 bats. That’s a .371/.439/.514 slash line. The Mariners could use more of that.

A player with Arroyo’s offensive potential becomes much easier to carry if the manager can move him between second base, third base, the outfield and occasional shortstop duty.

Best path: Give Emerson the first opportunity while adding a versatile veteran capable of covering shortstop.

The Mariners Can Replace Taylor Ward Internally

This is the easiest decision of the group. The Mariners paid a prospect price to acquire him at the deadline and received very little in return. His collapse after arriving in Seattle shouldn’t erase the productive seasons that came before it, but it should end any discussion about extending the relationship.

Prospect Option: Lázaro Montes

Montes deserves meaningful consideration for the DH and corner-outfield rotation. His power is legit. We’ve already seen him change a game with one swing, which isn’t something Seattle’s lineup offers often enough. The swing-and-miss is brutal, but we knew that coming in. The Mariners should expect the adjustment period to continue going into 2027.

What they shouldn’t do is send Montes back to the minors and keep him there until he becomes a flawless hitter. That player doesn’t exist. Yes, Montes has drawn comparisons to Yordan Alvarez, but keep in mind that those comparisons stem from their similar size, enormous power, Cuban backgrounds and experience working with the same hitting instructor in the Dominican Republic. 

He still has a long way to go before producing Alvarez-esque at-bats, but that doesn’t disqualify him as a legitimate power threat whom the Mariners could eventually plug into the middle of the order.

Seattle can give him regular at-bats without making him responsible for replacing Arozarena. Those are two very different assignments.