Mariners missing out on Kim might have created another possibility

The Mariners ultimately lose out on Hyeseong Kim thanks to the Dodgers, but it might mean a chance to do business with their LA rivals.

As we wrote on Thursday, the Mariners were reportedly one of three Major League clubs which had made three-year offers to Hyeseong Kim for $15 million or less. With a deadline of 2 p.m. PT on Jan. 3, the infield uncertainty in Seattle was potentially about to have one less issue to deal with.

Yes, as per KBO Trade Rumors, the Mariners’ offer was apparently not the highest of the three made, but the hope was that their overall appeal would ultimately trump the other two clubs. However, then came a new report that the Dodgers had entered into the equation, which changed everything.

As such, it came as no surprise when it was confirmed on Friday that Kim had signed a three-year deal to go to Los Angeles. As per Brian Murphy and Sonja Chen of MLB.com, the deal is guaranteed for $12.5 million, with a two-year option for 2028-29 that could increase the value to $22 million.

Thanks to this turn of events, the Mariners are now no closer to resolving their infield predicament, with a continuing particular need at second and third base. So where does the club go from here, considering that we are only six weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting in Peoria, Arizona?

A possible solution in Los Angeles

Well it just so turns out that Kim signing in Los Angeles, might have actually created another opportunity for the Mariners, given the Dodgers now have an excess of infielders on their roster. Giving all due credit to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, perhaps a trade can come to fruition between the two clubs, involving Gavin Lux.

Lux certainly makes for a good fit in Seattle, as a left-handed bat who plays at second base. (He’s also capable of playing at shortstop and in the outfield if required.) He earned $1.225 million last season and is projected to make around $2.76 million in 2025, in his second year of arbitration.

The 27-year-old had to sit out the entire 2023 season due to a torn ACL in his knee, but he came back strong in 2024. He produced a .251/.320/.383 slash line including personal bests of 10 home runs and 50 RBI, as he played a career-high 139 games.

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Can the Mariners entice the Dodgers?

Now of course, there is no guarantee the Dodgers will be looking to do business, despite their aforementioned surplus of infielders. Last time we checked, they weren’t exactly struggling to afford to pay players.

Still, it wouldn’t hurt the Mariners to at least contact the Dodgers for a discussion, because they desperately need the infield help. Further, Lux himself might be open to a trade to guarantee more playing time, which he would certainly get in Seattle.

The Mariners can afford to pay the 2016 first round daft pick his projected $2.76 million for 2025, with the bonus of one more year of club control. In terms of what they would need to offer the Dodgers, they have the prospects available, to make a potential deal work.

Is Lux the type of player you believe can help the Mariners in 2025? More generally, how confident are you that they will have the infield situation adequately resolved for the beginning of the new season? Let us know in the comments section below.