Mariners’ division rival denied them trade opportunity for slugging first baseman

It’s been stated time and time again this offseason, but it bears repeating — the Seattle Mariners need to add some offense to their roster ahead of the upcoming 2025 season. While the Mariners have been linked to innumerable bats throughout the winter, Seattle has yet to pull the trigger on a single deal outside of signing Donovan Solano.

But according to MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, the Mariners’ shortcomings have not come due to lack of trying. Seattle has made attempts throughout the offseason to bolster their beleaguered lineup, but have yet to find a free agent match or willing trade partner.

One such trade target used to reside within the AL West division. According to Kramer, the Mariners tried to work out a deal earlier this offseason that would have brought former Texas Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to the Emerald City. That endeavor eventually fell short, and Lowe was dealt to the Washington Nationals.

Rangers denied the Mariners trade opportunity for slugging first baseman Nathaniel Lowe

It’s hard to blame the Rangers over their trepidation trading within the division. That’s something major league organizations rarely do. Oftentimes, opposing front offices are fearful of being fleeced by a rival and then seeing the player(s) they gave away come back and wreak havoc against their old team.

But the fact that the Rangers refused to play ball with the Mariners doesn’t take away from the fact that Seattle is still in need of an upgrade. Unfortunately, most of the big bats on the open market have already been scooped up, leaving the Mariners, and others who’ve dragged their feet throughout the offseason, hunting for scraps.

Nathaniel Lowe is one of 10 first basemen in MLB history with a Silver Slugger, Gold Glove and a World Series championship 👏

The @Nationals acquisition joins #MLBTonight to discuss the trade and the upside in Washington. pic.twitter.com/TRzTFPYKM4

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 2, 2025

If Seattle is dead set on adding a first baseman, the Mariners could go after Pete Alonso. But the All-Star first baseman isn’t going to come cheap. After the New York Mets extended a qualifying offer, signing Alonso requires sacrificing a draft pick as well. Justin Turner, Connor Joe, and Anthony Rizzo are all viable options, but it’s debatable as to whether or not any of those players improve Seattle’s lineup.

Add Lowe to the list of the ones that got away. Seattle missed out on Carlos Santana earlier this offseason, and many Mariners fans are beginning to believe that Jerry Dipoto and the front office will continue to seek out bargain contracts rather than attack the top of the market.