SEATTLE — If you're a Major League Baseball player, you almost certainly want to be in Seattle on Tuesday. Taking part in the All-Star Game is an honor reserved for the sport's elite and is a crucial component to one's legacy.
But the question right now is whether major leaguers want to be here on a more regular basis, or more specifically — 81 times a year. In short: Is Seattle a destination spot for free agents dripping with options?
The reason for the query is that the Mariners haven't landed a true whale of an FA since second baseman Robinson Cano signed a 10-year, $240 million contract in 2014.
They have extended superstars, such as Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, Ichiro and Felix Hernandez — and last year wagered that center fielder Julio Rodriguez would be worth the $210 million they guaranteed him after his rookie season. They've also lured (then) three-time All-Star Nelson Cruz in 2014 and signed 2021 Cy Young winner Robbie Ray two falls ago.
But a true mountain? A future Hall of Famer in his prime who wants to change jerseys and settle in Seattle? Still waiting on that one.
So with the Emerald City on center stage this week for the Midsummer Classic, I thought I'd visit opposing clubhouses to see what players thought about this town and team. Do they think top free agents would sign here? Here's the good, the bad and everything in between — starting with Yankees outfielder and reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge.
"They got a great young team here. I think that's a big part of it. Seattle's a great city and they got a great fan base," Judge said. "I've noticed the past couple seasons, every time I come here it's a sold-out game. When they were fighting for that playoff spot, fans were showing out here in numbers when they needed them to, so that always helps. But like I said, they got a great ballclub, they got a great young core of players, pitching staff — I think it's a great spot for anybody to come."
That was perhaps the rosiest take given for this story, but Judge hit on a theme repeated by several other players: the Mariners' talented young core. Nobody is saying they are championship contenders or even a playoff team at the moment, but with Rodriguez, and a starting pitching staff consisting of three-time All-Star Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert and Ray, there is an alluring foundation.
The first thing Yankees pitcher and two-time All-Star Carlos Rodón brought up was the "young group — a young core [that] plays with a lot of energy." The "really good young core" were the first words out of White Sox pitcher and former All-Star Lucas Giolito as well, while White Sox reliever and three-time All-Star Liam Hendriks praised the "nucleus" he saw in the Mariners.
"When I hit free agency last time, it was looking at the team," Hendriks said. "The city and all that stuff plays into it, but my big goal was winning."
Of course. But what about the city itself? Mariners first baseman Ty France has repeatedly said that Seattle hosts the best summers in the country, but there's obviously more to it than those two to three months of enduring sunshine. What do others think?
"I think for people who want to get back into kind of like the mountain atmosphere and the hiking and more of the natural resources, this is a great place to be," Yankees outfielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa said.
Then he added a nugget that might be of interest to those wondering if the Mariners can land the biggest whale: one Shohei Ohtani.
"For me, it's the Asian food," Kiner-Falefa said. "I'm Japanese and I really enjoy the food here and getting to go out and have all my cravings."
Hendriks, meanwhile, lauded Seattle's citywide sports fandom, specifically citing the Kraken craze that blossomed during the NHL playoffs. And though Marlins outfielder and 2022 All-Star Garrett Cooper commended the "vibe" of the city, expressed his love of T-Mobile Park and emphasized that "there's so much green area" around town, he did add a caveat regarding the first month or two of the season.
"I don't like hitting in the cold," Cooper said. "I think a lot of guys would view it the same way I would."
But temperature wasn't the principal deterrent — or at least potential deterrent — players named when discussing the prospect of playing in Seattle.
To quote White Sox pitcher Joe Kelly, who is set to hit free agency next year: "I'd say everything is great except the travel. That's what I've heard."
The Mariners regularly lead MLB in miles traversed each season, usually with the A's or Angels joining them at the top. Part of the reason is that they are in their own corner of the country, but it's also because they share a division with the Rangers and Astros, who sit two time zones away. Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford said that any drawback one can list about living in Seattle is offset by the summers when "the sun stays out till 10 p.m." But he did acknowledge the irritation of all that flight time.
"You're not wrong," Crawford said. "Travel sucks."
That said, it's not as if the Mariners are waiting at gate B14 at Sea-Tac, hoping the weather delay doesn't cause them to miss their connection in Salt Lake City. Their flights are all chartered and they stay in some of the most luxurious hotels in the country. If they want to land a seismic free agent, it's likely going to come down to whether they are fielding a winning product and have an ownership group willing to spend.
Tuesday, more than 60 players from other teams will be in Seattle for a night. We'll see if any of them decide they want to be in Seattle for a whole lot longer after the season.
There's always a reason a superstar can give for not wanting to come to the Mariners. There's little reason why the Mariners can't properly pursue one.
