Seattle, WA

Dipoto speaks on Seattle Mariners offseason: What we learned

Published

11 months ago

February 4, 2025

Dipoto speaks on Seattle Mariners offseason: What we learned

Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto met with the media in a Zoom call Monday afternoon to discuss the re-signing of Jorge Polanco, and he also took questions about the Mariners’ offseason in general as the team prepares to report to spring training in the next two weeks.

Seattle Mariners Moves: Polanco, ex-Zag added; two DFA’d

The team that will reports to Arizona will look much like the team that departed T-Mobile Park following Game 162 last September, falling just shy of a playoff appearance for a second straight season. Dipoto indicated that week to the media that he didn’t anticipate much offseason movement around the team outside of finding a platoon partner for Luke Raley at first base and filling one of the open spots at second or third base.

While he wouldn’t comment on budget specifics, it was clear early on that if big moves were to be made, they would come via trade with Dipoto’s spending money in the $15-20 million range. No surprise, there was plenty of opportunity to trade with the Mariners receiving inquiries this winter on all five starting pitchers.

“We had more than a few deals that made you scratch your head and say, ‘Hey, what do you think guys?’” Dipoto said Monday. “But by and large, we just feel like the value of what the pitching staff as a whole provides us, there’s a reason why we were so good. And you know, why disrupt? We’re about our pitching. We’re going to lean into it and this is this is who we are.”

Optimistic on offense

For a second straight offseason, Dipoto listened on starting pitching but ultimately decided to not disrupt. What he saw at the end of the 2024 season with the offense perhaps made that decision easier for him. In late September, Dipoto touted improvements that showed what the Mariners’ offense could be after Dan Wilson was named manager and Edgar Martinez interim hitting coach. That belief has carried through the winter.

“We have a good offensive team and we didn’t feel like we needed to do a whole lot but to find ways to support the group that we had,” Dipoto said. “I know the offseason has been long and seemingly slow. We do feel like we made a lot of progress last year and the additions of (Randy) Arozarena, (Victor) Robles, (Donovan) Solano and a healthy Jorge Polanco, with what we think will be bounceback seasons from a couple of guys who didn’t have their best years, stand to be positives for us.”

Not liking where the trade market was taking them, Dipoto turned back to free agent Polanco, who the team had kept in contact with throughout the offseason.

“We were satisfied with where he was from a health perspective,” he said, noting the 31 year old has looked more explosive in his movements and better able to stop after such bursts. “We were excited that he was optimistic about how he felt and about returning to the Mariners. He now knows our ballpark, he knows our manager and staff, and I thought it was a real positive he chose to be here.”

Dipoto believes moving Polanco from second base to third base will be better for Polanco’s health, and a better fit for the roster overall with Dylan Moore and Ryan Bliss better at second base, and prospect Cole Young, a natural shortstop who has played quite a bit of second base, better up the middle.

The importance of the bullpen

It will be a somewhat but not dramatically different look both offensively and defensively for the Mariners in 2025. Will it be enough to compete in an AL West of teams that have also made changes? Dipoto believes that, coupled with another area where he sees improvement, it can be.

“We feel like we’re right in the mix,” he said. “I think the early projection systems feel like we’re right in the mix. A real positive for us is the expected healthy returns of (relief pitchers) Gregory Santos and Matt Brash. It’s maybe the thing that got us most in the last two months of last season was a bullpen that got tired. We pushed really hard on Andrés Muñoz and Austin Voth and Trent Thornton early (last season), and they were all pitching a lot and in very high leverage all the time. I think having guys like Santos, Brash and more time from Troy Taylor give us a lot of opportunity to improve in that area as well.”

Seattle Mariners injury updates

The Mariners could possibly start the season without Taylor, who had a strong debut as a rookie in late 2024, with Dipoto reporting the 23-year-old right-hander suffered a lat strain last week doing workouts.

“We’re going to take it easy on him when we get started,” Dipoto said. “He’s more TBD and we would expect there is at least some potential he is going to have to start the season down in Arizona (at extended spring training) as he ramps up.”

The news continues to be optimistic with Brash, who underwent Tommy John surgery last May.

“Matt’s had a great rehab,” Dipoto said. “He has really not had a roadblock to date. Our present timeline is that we should get him back somewhere around the third week of April, which is pretty exciting. Obviously, that’s tentative. It could change and obviously wouldn’t be at all shocking if he did experience some setback as he starts to ramp up to game mode, but we haven’t seen that yet.”

A healthy Brash will be a welcome sight in Peoria. Missing will be an array of new faces, although Dipoto allowed for the possibility of another move before the offseason clock ticks down.

“We’re still open if the opportunity to add exists out there,” he said, “but we feel like it’s a good team. And if this is our team going into spring training or opening day, we’re pretty excited by it.”

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Goldsmith weighs in on Seattle Mariners’ second base situation
• Which M’s prospect has best shot to hit star potential? Law weighs in
• One thing about Mariners’ reunion with Polanco gives Salk pause
• Drayer: Jorge Polanco is answer for Mariners’ infield — with question marks
• Seattle Mariners Notebook: Non-roster invitees for spring training set

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Paul Arriola, Pedro de la Vega and the Seattle Sounders return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Published

3 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Paul Arriola, Pedro de la Vega and the Seattle Sounders return in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Forgotten. Absent. Inconsistently healthy. Weights of expectation.

These heroes offered glimpses and scenes of their greatness in 2025.

Paul Arriola, X Man

Paul Arriola gave us a glimpse of his former greatness before his injury. Once a DP, once the highest value transfer within MLS, once recruited to skip MLS entirely for what was at the time a much better league, Arriola’s all comps contributions per 90 would compare to wingback style players Jordi Alba and the now-gone Ali Ahmed.

Arriola slides right in that space, with his 0.57. Now, a discerning reader such as yourself will imagine small sample sizes and opponent quality. You would be correct. But Paul also put up similar numbers in MLS in 2018, 2021 and 2022. His time in MLS as a whole is .40/90 (in the realm of last season’s Christian Espinoza).

Defining Arriola’s role is always going to be hard. He’s played as many wide roles as exist in the modern game. With Seattle, he could be a left or right winger in a four-front if they choose to run a 3-2-4-1, or a wingback in a 3-4-2-1 or a conventional winger in a 4-2-3-1. No matter his role, he’s been strong. His calls to the US National Team ran every year from age 20-27, when he put up better numbers there than he did in league play. He’s now 30.

Pedro de la Vega, the injury saga

Sounders fans know how bright Pedro can burn. So do, Lanus fans, Argentina fans, Cruz Azul fans, Santos Laguna fans, Tijuana fans, Puebla, Galaxy, Inter Messi and a smattering of other MLS teams. The Leagues Cup player of the year and wonder goal nominee is absolutely thrilling, when available.

Lanus, Argentina and Seattle also know his history of injuries. Injuries are why he’s in Seattle.

PdlV only played 41% of available minutes in all competitions. A healthy winger of his quality should be around 66% or so. His absolutely stellar all comps performance of 0.72 is on par with Hany Mukhtar, at 20th in MLS play. Pedro is ahead of Diego Rossi, Djordje Mihailovic, and Dejan Joveljić.

When you think about how the Seattle Sounders will make up ground for the inevitable decline of Danny Musovski the names Arriola and de la Vega should be bandied about.

They weren’t merely better than the people who replaced them on the Sounders – they’re better than the majority of high-profile players in the league.

In 2025 Craig Waibel raised the floor and the peak. Injuries gave us only a few glimpses of that peak.

2026 is when the multi-competition heroic Sounders can once again show their prowess and why their presence as a top tier club is eternal.

Use our affiliate links to support your bloggers when buying merch and tickets.

Catching up on Sounder at Heart

Here’s what you missed on the site this week.

Sounders

Next match: Sunday, February 22, 2026 v. the Colorado Rapids | 6 p.m. PT | Apple TV/FS1

Reign

Schedule to come next week.

Defiance

Schedule to come.

Looking back at the news

Everything else you need to know

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Minnesota United coach Eric Ramsay to take West Brom job (Twin Cities)
Meghann Burke on why the NWSLPA opposes the High Impact Player rule (Full times on Spotify)
KC Current hire ex-USMNT star Armas as coach (ESPN)
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Suwon FC Women Re-Sign South Korea’s Top Female Footballer Ji So-yun (Chosun Daily)
Man admits racist abuse of footballer Jess Carter (BBC)
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Here’s why the Blue Angels in Seattle on Monday

Published

15 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Here’s why the Blue Angels in Seattle on Monday

SEATTLE – Known for their high-flying skills above the skies during air shows, the Blue Angels will be in Seattle once again on Monday.

But with Seafair not until the summer, many are wondering why the Navy pilots are in the Emerald City ahead of schedule.

Blue Angels F/A-18 Hornets are flying The Diamond Roll (four planes in formation), doing a 360-degree roll as one unit, flying at 400 mph over Lake Washington for the Seafair weekend in Seattle. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Keep reading to find out why the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are in Seattle on Jan. 12.

Why are the Blue Angels in Seattle now?

The Blue Angels returned to Seattle on Monday to begin preseason planning for the 2026 Boeing Seafair Air Show.

Pilots will assess airshow locations, scouting the skies and getting familiar with the landscape ahead of the Seafair Weekend Festival, when they perform in three separate air shows. Their visit brings the iconic Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornets to the city, the aircraft pilots use during the air show.

Blue Angels pilots plan to stay in Seattle until Tuesday, coordinating with Seafair event organizers. Last year, only two Blue Angels pilots were in Seattle for preseason planning, instead of the entire squadron.

When are the Blue Angels coming back to Seattle?

The Blue Angels will fly back to western Washington for the 2026 Boeing Seafair Air Show, on Friday, July 31 – Sunday, August 2, 2026.

They’ll also be in town for two practice runs on Thursday, July 30.

When is the 2026 Seafair Air Show?

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will perform in three air shows throughout Seafair weekend. They’re happening each afternoon on July 31 through Aug. 2 on Lake Washington and at Genesee Park.

The multi-day Seafair Weekend Festival also includes the Apollo Mechanical Cup Hydroplane Races, along with live entertainment, food and drinks, and family-friendly activities. Tickets for the festival go on sale in February.

Who are the Blue Angels?

The Blue Angels is a team of elite Navy flight demonstrators, showcasing their aviation skills in high-speed, precision aerobatic performances.

They perform in air shows across the U.S. each year, with the goal of inspiring a culture of excellence and service to country, displaying the teamwork and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Formed in 1946, this year marks the 80th year of the Blue Angels. They take pride in performing for audiences both at home and abroad, showcasing the excitement, precision, and power of Naval aviation.

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The Source: Information in this story came from U.S. Navy Blue Angels, Seafair, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.

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Seattle, WA

Seattle Seahawks land 2 players on list of potential salary cap cuts in 2026

Published

1 day ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Seattle Seahawks land 2 players on list of potential salary cap cuts in 2026

No matter how the playoffs go for the Seatte Seahawks, general manager John Schneider and his team are looking at a very busy offseason ahead.

In addition to their usual preparations for the 2026 NFL draft, Seattle has a ton of important players who are about to become unrestricted free agents. That list includes special teams superstar Rashid Shaheed, running back Ken Walker and defensive standouts Boye Mafe, Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant.

It’s going to be really difficult to keep that entire group together, even with a lot of cap space projected to be open in 2026. The Seahawks may have to create room with some salary cap casualties after the season is over.

On that note, Over the Cap has listed a pair of Seattle players as potential cap casualties. Let’s review both of them.

OLB Uchenna Nwosu

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) dives for a touchdown against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) in the second half at Lumen Field. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Coming in at No. 46 on OTC’s list is veteran edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu, who has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit just over $20 million. Nwosu has been valuable when he’s on the field but he’s also missed a ton of time due to injuries and it will be difficult to justify his cap hit with so many other players to pay.

Seattle can save a little over $11.5 million if they cut Nwosu, before June 1 or after. However, they would also take on a dead money hit north of $8.5 million, which takes a lot of the flavor out of those cap savings.

In 45 games with the Seahawks, Nwosu has tallied 19.5 sacks, 52 QB hits, 24 tackles for a loss, five forced fumbles and eight pass breakups.

That’s a lot of good production across the board as an all-around defender, but he’ll turn 30 years old before next season is over and there are a lot of mouths to feed for Mike Macdonald’s defense.

Over the Cap projects there’s a 58.5% chance that the Seahawks will wind up cutting him. Our best guess is that will be the case, especially if they want to pursue someone like Maxx Crosby on the trade market.

K Jason Myers

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks place kicker Jason Myers (5) kicks a field goal against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Levi’s Stadium. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The only other Seahawks player who made the list (at No. 77) was placekicker Jason Myers, where the team has an interesting choice to make.

Myers has been around since the 2019 season and he’s come through for them more often than not. In 117 games he’s converted 200 of 232 field goal attempts, coming out to 86.2%. On extra point attempts he’s gone 292/307 for 95.1%.

Those are very solid numbers for an NFL kicker, and when you have a solid option at this position you don’t mess with it.

Another factor working in Myers’ favor is that Seattle really can’t save all that much money by cutting him. According to OTC’s numbers the Seahawks would create $5.1 million in cap room by cutting him, with a dead money hit of $1,875,000.

Five million might get Seattle a decent backup for their interior offensive line, or another contributor to Mike Macdonald’s defense. It’s not enough to really move the needle for this roster, though.

OTC gives it a 52.5% chance that Myers will get cut, but we don’t see that happening. If they want to lower his cap hit, the Seahawks can create a little over $3 million for 2026 with an extension. That’s the only move they should be looking to make at this spot.