2020 Mariners season preview: On the rise, but still a ways to go

The Seattle Mariners finally seem like the up-and-coming team Jerry Dipoto has been attempting to build since taking over at the end of the 2015 season. The type of impact the young kids might have on the 2020 roster is still up in the air, though. As much as Mariners fans may want to see Jarred Kelenic reach the majors this year, it simply might not be in the cards.

Even further, the starting rotation has a number of question marks that will likely prevent them from making any noise in a difficult division. That being said, they should be a fun team to watch as the front office identifies which pieces are worth building around.

2020 Breakdown

2019 record: 68-94 (5th in AL West)
Payroll: $100,694,461
Projected record: 24-36 (5th)
World Series odds: +30000
3-year trend: 2017 (3rd); 2018 (3rd); 2019 (5th)
Key addition: Taijuan Walker
Key subtraction: Felix Hernandez
Highest projected WAR: Kyle Seager (0.9)
X-factor: Shed Long Jr.
Prospect to watch: Evan White
Winter report card: D+

Projected Lineup

Bench

Most notably, Gordon is likely relegated to bench duties as the team abandons the outfield experiment and also looks to give Long more regular reps at second. He might not be perfectly suited for the leadoff spot, possessing neither speed nor elite on-base acumen. However, his .787 OPS in 42 games last year certainly indicates an impact big leaguer. Another player to watch will be White. The rookie first baseman was handed a six-year, $24-million contract this past winter after barely making it to Triple-A.

Rotation

*Bold indicates player acquired during offseason

Without King Felix, Gonzales becomes the de facto ace of the staff - and the Mariners extended the lefty through at least 2024 this past winter. Beyond that, there's a series of question marks: Can Kikuchi hack it stateside after a dismal rookie campaign? Is Sheffield the prospect the team believed they acquired when they traded James Paxton away? Can Graveman and Walker recapture any of their former abilities to become legitimate back end rotation pieces? And, finally, is Dunn ready for the jump to the majors after being a key piece of the Edwin Diaz trade?

Bullpen

The Mariners may have one of the worst bullpens in the majors, but the addition of Edwards and Cortes potentially affords them interesting trade chips. If Edwards can manage his walk rate, he's a high-leverage reliever on any team. Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Cortes hasn't yet managed to translate his minor-league dominance into major-league success.

Key injuries/Absences

(Projected WAR/ERA source: FanGraphs)