The Mariners are apparently one of a number of teams interested in Yoan Moncada, but what does the third baseman potentially offer in Seattle?
Despite the disappointment in missing out on Hyeseong Kim, the Seattle Mariners have no time to sit around feeling sorry for themselves. With just six weeks until pitchers and catchers report, the club still has multiple infield positions to fill, with the concern that the current internal options will not be good enough to resolve the issue.
With this in mind, the Mariners have been linked to a number of potential external options, including trading with the Los Angeles Dodgers for second baseman Gavin Lux. Another possibility is signing free agent Jose Iglesias, who can play at second or third base, as well as shortshop if ever required. (This is the one infield position seemingly already set, with J.P. Crawford.)
Focusing in on third base specifically, another potential option is Yoan Moncada. According to a report from BBWAA member Francys Romero on social media, the Mariners are apparently one of several clubs interested in the free agent, along with the Chicago Cubs and the Toronto Blue Jays.
A good fit or not for the Mariners?
This of course leads to the question of what Moncada can offer to the Mariners, i.e. is he a good fit in Seattle? Well in theory he would be a boost to an offense which needs it, with him being a switch-hitting bat with power and speed.
The 29-year-old has a career .254/.331/.424 slash line, .756 OPS and 106 OPS+, which while not top-tier is still an improvement on what the majority of the Mariners lineup has achieved in recent seasons. However, the number one issue is being able to keep him on the field.
Consider that Moncada only played 12 games last season for the White Sox due to a strained adductor, and played just 92 times a year earlier. He even missed 58 games back in 2022 with an oblique strain, leading to belief that he just won’t be reliable or durable enough to contribute regularly in Seattle.
- Mariners lean heavily on Bryan Woo in historic 3-1 win vs. Angels
- Sounders FC road show continues in Houston
- Mariners back at full strength heading into first road trip of 2026
- George Kirby sees dominant start vs. Yankees come undone in 6th
- Mariners experience 2 positives and 1 negative on a busy Tuesday
The potential financial implications with Moncada
At the same time, this could actually play into the hands of the Mariners, given that they apparently only have around $15 million of payroll space to strengthen the roster. The thinking is that Moncada won’t command much salary-wise as a result of his injury issues, combined with him likely willing to compromise given than he is still unsigned.
The Cuba native’s most recent deal had an average annual salary cap hit of $14 million, but the White Sox declined a $25 million club option for the 2025 season. He did receive a $5 million buyout as part of his contract, so money shouldn’t be his number one concern, at least theoretically.
At this stage, it’s a case of Moncada wanting (needing) to prove to Major League clubs that he can stay healthy moving forward, which would in turn make him a valuable proposition. This should mean wanting to play as much as possible, with opportunities seemingly at a premium in Seattle given their uncertain third base situation.
All in all, Moncada is the type of gamble you can imagine appealing to Jerry Dipoto, particularly if he is indeed a cheap option. He might not be the most exciting of options to Mariners fans, but maybe — just maybe — the player is still in there, who hit 14 home runs and 61 RBI back in 2021.
What is your opinion of the Mariners’ apparent interest in Moncada? Do you see him having a positive impact in Seattle, or is his injury history just too much of a red flag? Let us know in the comments section below.
