The official Hot Stove League Thread 2025-26 Offseason

[Pharmabro]

I'd take a serious look at Luis Arraez if I was Dipollander.

I assumed he was old, but he's still in his prime. He has the MLB lead in Hits since 2023. His OBP is 25th best in MLB in that time.

Use him as a utility guy- the bat-first option giving the glove-first players a day off.

1B, 2B/3B to give them a rare day off, but DH'ing any day that Cal's behind the plate or a day off when a tough lefty's on the mound. If you're going with a Bliss/Williamson, you can afford for your bench/DH guy to be bat-first. You're not going to need a defensive replacement with the glove guys out there, so the bench/DH guy doesn't have to be a defensive specialist.

Typically, I'd be hellbent on a masher at DH. But the Mariners were 3rd in baseball in HR's. Mainly thanks to Cal, but we undeniably have some power now compared to where most other teams are at. And he's had an OPS in the Julio Rodriguez range as the cherry on top.

Just put him at the top of the lineup and let him hit. That's what he does, and he's only going to be 29 years old- same age as Cal Raleigh. He fits here like a glove imo.

Look at that K%....

(2023-2025)

I guess I could go for that. But at how much money? How many years?

[bpj]

I'd take a serious look at Luis Arraez if I was Dipollander.

I assumed he was old, but he's still in his prime. He has the MLB lead in Hits since 2023. His OBP is 25th best in MLB in that time.

Use him as a utility guy- the bat-first option giving the glove-first players a day off.

1B, 2B/3B to give them a rare day off, but DH'ing any day that Cal's behind the plate or a day off when a tough lefty's on the mound. If you're going with a Bliss/Williamson, you can afford for your bench/DH guy to be bat-first. You're not going to need a defensive replacement with the glove guys out there, so the bench/DH guy doesn't have to be a defensive specialist.

Typically, I'd be hellbent on a masher at DH. But the Mariners were 3rd in baseball in HR's. Mainly thanks to Cal, but we undeniably have some power now compared to where most other teams are at. And he's had an OPS in the Julio Rodriguez range as the cherry on top.

Just put him at the top of the lineup and let him hit. That's what he does, and he's only going to be 29 years old- same age as Cal Raleigh. He fits here like a glove imo.

Look at that K%....

(2023-2025)

I guess I could go for that. But at how much money? How many years?

I think that's the benefit of buying while he's apparently forgotten on the market.

The one thing the guy does is hit. I can live with that.

Someone said he's projected at 2/$24.

That's Mitch Garver money on an Ichiro/Tony Gwynn/Wade Boggs type hitter when they're 29 years old.

We need a leadoff hitter. Over the last three years, he's in some pretty elite company in OBP.

[D-train]

I'd take a serious look at Luis Arraez if I was Dipollander.

I assumed he was old, but he's still in his prime. He has the MLB lead in Hits since 2023. His OBP is 25th best in MLB in that time.

Use him as a utility guy- the bat-first option giving the glove-first players a day off.

1B, 2B/3B to give them a rare day off, but DH'ing any day that Cal's behind the plate or a day off when a tough lefty's on the mound. If you're going with a Bliss/Williamson, you can afford for your bench/DH guy to be bat-first. You're not going to need a defensive replacement with the glove guys out there, so the bench/DH guy doesn't have to be a defensive specialist.

Typically, I'd be hellbent on a masher at DH. But the Mariners were 3rd in baseball in HR's. Mainly thanks to Cal, but we undeniably have some power now compared to where most other teams are at. And he's had an OPS in the Julio Rodriguez range as the cherry on top.

Just put him at the top of the lineup and let him hit. That's what he does, and he's only going to be 29 years old- same age as Cal Raleigh. He fits here like a glove imo.

Look at that K%....

(2023-2025)

I guess I could go for that. But at how much money? How many years?

I think that's the benefit of buying while he's apparently forgotten on the market.

The one thing the guy does is hit. I can live with that.

Someone said he's projected at 2/$24.

That's Mitch Garver money on an Ichiro/Tony Gwynn/Wade Boggs type hitter when they're 29 years old.

We need a leadoff hitter. Over the last three years, he's in some pretty elite company in OBP.

Interesting Wade Lamont Jr. is on that list. He went from a .380 OBP in 2024 to .271 in 2025. He is a couple years older but crazy how many guys crater these days once they hit 30 which is now the new 35 giving today's pitching technology. Joc Pederson is another example. .393 to .285 from 2024 to 2025. Kolton Wong .339 with the Brewers to .241 with us in 2023.

[D-train]

Rob Refsnyder has been a good part time bat the past to seasons would be a cheap RH bat for DH and RF.

Screenshot 2025-12-16 075334.png (19.69 KiB) Viewed 440 times

[GL_Storm]

I wonder if Jeff McNeil could be a fallback plan if they don't get Donovan. McNeil and Lindor don't get along and the Mets already brought in Semien to play 2B. McNeil is massively overpaid so the Mets would have to eat most of that salary to move him. The real question is what does his age 34 season actually get you? And putting aside his salary, is the player worth giving anything up for?

[Seattle or Bust]

I wonder if Jeff McNeil could be a fallback plan if they don't get Donovan. McNeil and Lindor don't get along and the Mets already brought in Semien to play 2B. McNeil is massively overpaid so the Mets would have to eat most of that salary to move him. The real question is what does his age 34 season actually get you? And putting aside his salary, is the player worth giving anything up for?

A worse Brendan Donovan really.

He'd probably be a .720 OPS hitter in Seattle with decent contact, limited power, OK defense.

NYM would probably need to eat $8ish million to get a 20-30 prospect in the system back.

[bpj]

I'm happy about this backup catcher because there shouldn't be any crazy thoughts from Wilson/Dipollander that they need to squeeze value out of him on off days at DH.

Perfect case study of addition by subtraction. Much better off now without Garver at DH 25% of the time. 39 games at DH last season. Absolutely unbelievable.

[GL_Storm]

Garver must have more of a market than some of us thought he would for the Mariners to just turn away and sign Knizner.

[D-train]

I'm happy about this backup catcher because there shouldn't be any crazy thoughts from Wilson/Dipollander that they need to squeeze value out of him on off days at DH.

Perfect case study of addition by subtraction. Much better off now without Garver at DH 25% of the time. 39 games at DH last season. Absolutely unbelievable.

Agree. Sadly we will have this Knizner joker and his sub .300 Slug in the line up at BU catcher for about 40 games. Couldn't sign a decent BU catcher because of a few million bucks.

[D-train]

Garver must have more of a market than some of us thought he would for the Mariners to just turn away and sign Knizner.

Yeah probably will get 1 year $2M and the M's will throw a massive all org party with a live band for $500k to celebrate they saved $1M