The Seattle Mariners’ slate for 2025 looks more like a piece of Swiss cheese than a legitimate MLB defense.

The Mariners have holes at first base, second base and third base, and they all need to be filled by the time the team takes the field on Opening Day on March 27 against the Athletics.

Seattle Owner/president John Stanton said the club won’t spend big in free agency, removing potential solutions like Alex Bregman or Juan Soto from the equation.

But even if Stanton didn’t make that statement, the Mariners famously look to the trade market for answers in situations of need. That was the case for the nine years that current President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto was in the front office.

And Seattle was mentioned in an article as a potential trade destination for the eight-time All-Star. It was published By MLB.com’s St. The St. Louis Cardinals beat writer John Denton on Monday.

In the article, Denton mentioned several Cardinals players who could be transferred in the offseason. Among the players was six-time Platinum Glove Award winner and five-time Silver Slugger Nolan Arenado.

Denton mentioned in his article that Arenado expressed a desire to play for a contender with the goal of winning a World Series ring; This was probably the only honor missing from his Hall of Fame resume.

Denton said the following about Arenado in his article:

“Arenado, 33, has repeatedly said he feels the clock is ticking on his career and wants to be on a team that can compete for the World Series. Could free agency be a cheaper option for the Astros if they lose third? baseman Alex Bregman or the Dodgers, Angels, D-Ds?” -will he consider the Backs or the Mariners?

He worked in the Colorado Rockies between 2013 and 2020, and in St. Louis from 2021. Arenado, who played in St. Louis, has never reached the League Championship Series in his 12-year career.

Arenado has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he would have to give his seal of approval to any move that involves him.

But depending on the team this shouldn’t be a problem. According to some rumors, the Cardinals have already informed Arenado that they plan to move him in the offseason. According to the same rumors, Arenado also agreed to the process and moved to St. Louis to find a home. He works hand in hand with Louis.

Arenado is coming off a bad year by his standards. He batted .272 and had 16 home runs and 71 RBIs in 152 games played in 2024. He failed to surpass the 20 home run mark for the first time since his second season in the league. 2020 season.

There are many pros and cons to Seattle making this deal.

Pros: Arenado is one of the best defensive third basemen in the league despite being in his mid-30s. Perhaps one of the best defensive infielders of the era. He made nine above-average outings, which puts him in the 94th percentile in MLB. Baseball Master. Although 2024 hasn’t been a typical season for him offensively, these numbers represent a significant increase from what the Mariners got from Josh Rojas at third base in 2024.

Arenado’s defense would also prevent a potential decline in quality on the third line. Despite his offensive struggles, Rojas was still a Gold Glove-caliber third baseman in 2024.

Now for the cons: Arenado is expected to make $21 million in 2025, $16 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027 over the remaining three years of his contract. That works out to a total of $52 million over three years for a player whose numbers are dwindling.

In St. Louis, Arenado’s batting average from 2021-24 is .255, .293, .266, .272. Normally it would be good if the numbers remained high. However, their numbers in this category have gradually decreased. From 2021-24, Arenado’s home runs were 34, 30, 26, 16.

The final drawback is that even after the 2024 cut, Arenado would still be very expensive to acquire. The sailors were stingy in giving up their best hope. It will likely take two top 15 prospects and Josh Rojas to bring Arenado to Seattle. If the Mariners decline to include prospects, the Cardinals will likely want a starting pitcher from Seattle’s elite rotation.

Many fans will also point out that T-Mobile Park and Marine Layer are a tough environment to hit. However, St. St. Louis’ home field, Busch Stadium, isn’t a welcoming environment for hitters either. Hitters hit 96 home runs at T-Mobile Park compared to 91 on the Cardinals’ home field at Busch Stadium.

T-Mobile Park ranks last in Park Factor (91) among MLB ballparks, while Busch Stadium ranks 18th (100). Baseball Master.

If the Mariners were to trade Arenado, it would likely be for the remainder of his three-year deal. He’ll be 36 when his contract expires and likely won’t waive his no-trade clause for the second time in a four-year span. He will also be the highest-paid player on the 2025 roster. Series star Julio Rodriguez is expected to earn $19.9125 million next year.

If Seattle is serious about adding a legitimate bat to its roster, it’s going to have to pony up some money somewhere. Even if not in free agency, the Mariners don’t have many talented hitters playing positions of need who aren’t making at least five figures. Cheaply-paid players like the Baltimore Orioles’ Jordan Westburg will still need good transportation to be brought to the Pacific Northwest.

The Mariners have turned to veterans in the past to try to boost the offense, with little result. Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver are two recent examples of this. However, neither Polanco, Garver nor the other names brought by Seattle combine Arenado’s powerful hitting profile with elite defense.

There’s a chance Arenado rebounds in 2025, and Seattle will end up a steal despite a $21 million penalty.

But there’s also the possibility that Arenado continues his slide and the Mariners pay $21 million for the future Hall of Famer whose best years are behind him.

It’s a gamble. Something that might be too high risk for Seattle to purchase.

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