The Seattle Mariners entered the 2026 offseason facing major questions after losing key players Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suárez. While their acquisition of Brendan Donovan has energized fans, doubts remain about whether the Mariners truly strengthened their roster given these departures and budget constraints.
Examining the Mariners’ Roster Changes and Strategy
Following the Mariners’ 2025 campaign, which ended in a Game 7 loss in the ALCS, the team aimed to return largely intact for 2026. The early re-signing of Josh Naylor appeared promising, but losing Polanco and Suárez disrupted that plan. In their place, the Mariners have brought in Donovan and Rob Refsnyder, a shift that prompted analysis from voices such as Max Mannis of Jomboy Media.
So the Mariners effectively replaced Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Polanco with Brendan Donovan and Rob Refsnyder. Interesting
?Max Mannis, Baseball Analyst
Mannis’ observation highlights a key reality: the Mariners swapped two established players for two others who present a mix of promise and uncertainty. This raises questions about the impact on the team’s overall performance, especially given that Donovan and Refsnyder combined will cost just over $12 million in 2026, considerably less than the $53.5 million paid previously to Naylor, Polanco, and Suárez.
Comparing Performance Metrics and Financial Realities
One way to assess the roster shift is by comparing key offensive metrics. In 2025, the trio of Naylor, Polanco, and Suárez posted a combined 128 wRC+, 95 home runs, and contributed 9.6 fWAR. In contrast, the group of Naylor, Donovan, and Refsnyder is projected to have roughly 124 wRC+, 39 home runs, and 7.0 fWAR, underscoring a noticeable decline in power and overall value.
However, financial limitations played a major role in the Mariners’ decisions. Early offseason estimates showed the team’s budget to increase slightly but not enough to accommodate all three departing players. The decision to sign Donovan and Refsnyder was a move to control costs while attempting to raise the team’s baseline performance.
Roster Role and Potential Contributions of New Additions
Donovan enters Seattle as an All-Star in his prime, expected to improve two major areas that challenged the Mariners in 2025: the leadoff spot and infield defense. Both had underperformed badly with Polanco and Suárez on the roster, especially considering Polanco’s injury struggles and Suárez’s decline after his midseason return.
Refsnyder’s role may be more specialized but crucial, as he offers a reliable bat against left-handed pitchers, a dimension the Mariners lacked last year. This combination aims to create a more balanced and defensively capable infield, supporting the team’s core stars like Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez.
We could get used to this ð pic.twitter.com/NqZqN7z9eh
?Seattle Mariners, Official Team Account
Evaluating the Mariners’ Position Heading into the Season
Though the replacement of Polanco and Suárez with Donovan and Refsnyder may seem like a downgrade on paper, the Mariners’ leadership appears to have embraced a pragmatic approach. By prioritizing budget control and shoring up weaknesses in defense and lineup structure, Seattle aims to provide a solid foundation beneath its established stars and top-performing pitching staff.
Prospects like Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes, and Kade Anderson offer additional depth, but the Mariners’ main hope rests on stability and incremental improvement rather than marquee signings. This strategy has placed them as strong contenders for the American League pennant, despite the uncertainty surrounding some roster moves.
In sum, while the Mariners have lost significant firepower, the adjustments made this offseason reflect a careful balance between financial reality and on-field needs. The true test will come once the 2026 season unfolds, determining whether these changes elevate the team beyond last year’s near-miss or leave it searching for answers once again.
So the Mariners effectively replaced Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Polanco with Brendan Donovan and Rob Refsnyder. Interesting
— Max Mannis (@MaxMannis) February 2, 2026
We could get used to this 👀 pic.twitter.com/NqZqN7z9eh
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) February 4, 2026
