Former Mariners infielder rips Seattle for quiet winter

Sleepless in Seattle? More like sleepy after this offseason.

The Mariners, who finished ninth in team OPS in 2024, failed to do much to upgrade a lineup that struggled to hit throughout the year, signing just two players all winter: infielders Jorge Polanco and Donovan Solano. 

That didn't sit well with infielder Justin Turner, who now plays for the Cubs after spending the second half of last season with the Mariners. Here's what he told USA Today's Bob Nightengale:

"The fact that they missed the playoffs by one game, and didn’t go out and add an impact bat or two when you have the best pitching staff in baseball," Turner said, "just seems absurd to me." 

All of Turner's points are true. Seattle came up just short of a playoff berth in 2024 and finished a mere 3.5 games behind the AL West champion Houston Astros. Their 85 victories in 2024 were nearly enough.

And he's also correct about the Mariners pitching staff. By ERA, Seattle's pitchers had a combined 3.49 mark last season, the best in baseball. 

The Mariners rotation, led by ace right-hander Logan Gilbert (3.23 ERA in 33 starts), should once again be one of the league's fiercest in 2025. Their bullpen features fireballing closer Andres Munoz (2.12 ERA in 60 appearances last season), along with the return of injured but talented relievers Matt Brash and Gregory Soto. 

It's a formula that should lead to lots of wins. Turner believed in this team so much that he wanted to return, but not alone. 

"Honestly, as much as I wanted to be back there," Turner said, "if I was the only piece they brought back in, I would be saying the same thing: What the hell are we doing? Are you trying?" 

"There’s not going to a better time to go for it. So, I don’t know what they’re doing. I’m very confused. It’s a head-scratcher for me."

Turner's sentiments surely have to match those of Mariners fans, if not the players themselves. 

Seattle is hoping that its late-season momentum, which was sparked by manager Dan Wilson's arrival, can continue into 2025. The Mariners went 21-13 after the managerial change and began averaging close to six runs per game on offense. 

21-13, albeit a small sample size within the 162-game context of an MLB season, is a .618 winning percentage (equating to approximately 101 regular-season wins over a full campaign). That'll play. 

But without any meaningful changes on offense, don't expect that kind of performance from the Mariners in 2025.