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Jerry Dipoto Just Admitted the Mariners Roster May Be Too Rigid to Improve The Mariners need more offense.
We know it.
Jerry Dipoto knows it.
And anyone who has watched the Mariners stumble through the first half of the 2026 season kno Dec 9, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto speaks with the MLB Network at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings.
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect The Mariners need more offense.
We know it.
Jerry Dipoto knows it.
And anyone who has watched the Mariners stumble through the first half of the 2026 season knows it.With the trade deadline approaching, youd think that should make the next step pretty simple.
Find a better hitter.
Instead, Dipoto made the problem sound far more complicated than it needs to be.
While discussing Seattles needs before the trade deadline, the Mariners president of baseball operations acknowledged the lineup hasnt been good enough.He pointed to the clubs struggles against left-handed pitching, admitted the offense has been underwhelming against just about everyone and said Seattle would like to address it.
Then he followed that up with explaining why that may be difficult.Obviously, we want to solve the offensive question, Dipoto told The Seattle Times.
At some point we just have to be better offensively against all pitching.
We do have a clear flaw for facing left-handed pitching, and thats something wed like to resolve, although there are no really clear and obvious places we can fit those players on our roster, and there are no clear and obvious players who are available who can upgrade us in that way.The best players we can acquire are the players we have.
Mariners Have Built a Crowded Lineup, Not a Complete OneThere is a difference between having a full roster and having a good roster.
Seattle appears to be treating the first as evidence of the second.
There are plenty of known names on the roster, yet theyre still looking for more production.The Mariners entered the second half below .500 because their pitching could only drag them so far.
If the Mariners acquire a hitter who is clearly better than one of their current options, somebody loses playing time.weakest collection of at-bats and replace them with something better.The best players we can acquire are the players we have, he said.
We have heard some version of this before.
The Mariners believe their established hitters can perform better.
They expect injured players to return.They can point to career numbers and argue that the offense should eventually normalize.
Maybe it will.
A lot of times it doesnt.
Several current players have produced more in the past than they did during the first half.Thats a reason for optimism.
But its not a real deadline plan.
Unless...the plan is to do nothing.
Waiting for players to rebound is not the same as adding a hitter.Hoping the current roster starts performing closer to expectations doesnt erase the need to protect against the possibility that it doesnt.
TREMAYNE PERSON Tremayne Person is the Publisher for Mariners On SI and the Site Expert at Friars on Base, with additional bylines across FanSideds MLB division.
He founded the Keep It Electric podcast in 2023 and covers baseball with a blend of analysis, context, and a little well-timed side-eye just to keep things honest.Tremayne grew up a Mariners fan in Richmond, Va.
, and that passion ultimately led him to move to Seattle to cover the team closely and become a regular at home games.
Through his writing, he connects with fans who want a deeper, more personal understanding of the game.
When hes not at T-Mobile Park, hes with his dog, gaming, or finding the next storyline worth digging into.