Meet the 2022 Mariners starting lineup
The Mariners have not made the playoffs since the record-breaking 2001 season. After finishing two games short last year, Seattle made a splash in the offseason, acquiring Robbie Ray as a free agent and trading for Adam Frazier, Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker. With Julio Rodriguez's promotion to the opening day roster, the excitement around this team is palpable. Here's a look at the projected lineup for opening day on April 8, 2022.
Scroll to continue
26 Adam Frazier, 2B
- Age: 30
- Height: 5-10
- Weight: 181
- Bats: Left
What the Mariners need
Steady and solid fielding and numbers somewhere around his career numbers in batting average and OPS. The Mariners would certainly like a repeat of what he did for the Pittsburgh Pirates last season before being traded to San Diego. In 386 at-bats with Pittsburgh last year, he hit .324 and had an OPS of .836. That start earned Frazier a selection on the National League All-Star team.
Did you know?
Frazier starred in college at Mississippi State, where he was a two-time selection to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .305 | 83 | 176 | 5 | 43 | 10 | .368 | .411 |
| Career | .281 | 313 | 622 | 40 | 215 | 30 | .344 | .412 |
23 Ty France, 1B
- Age: 27
- Height: 5-11
- Weight: 215
- Bats: Right
What the Mariners need
Something similar to last season, when he had more than 184 at-bats for the first time in the big leagues. France was one of the Mariners’ most consistent hitters last season, finishing with an OPS of .813 and also providing solid fielding at first base, a relatively new position for him. He seems set for another solid season and it wouldn’t be surprising to his homer total take a jump forward this season.
Did you know?
France pitched in two games with the San Diego Padres in 2019, allowing one run on two hits over two innings. ... He hit .399 in 296 at-bats with Class AAA El Paso in 2019.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .291 | 85 | 166 | 18 | 73 | 0 | .368 | 445 |
| Career | .281 | 124 | 252 | 29 | 120 | 0 | .353 | .440 |
27 Jesse Winker, LF
- Age: 28
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 215
- Bats: Left
What the Mariners need
A full season of the solid, very consistent performances he has put up for the Reds over the past five seasons – but it would be helpful if he could start hitting left-handers better. He has a career OPS of .888 and has never been below .836. His career OPS against lefties is .600 and last season he hit .176 against left-handers in 102 at-bats (compared to .346 against right-handers) with an OPS of .572.
Did you know?
He committed to play baseball for the Florida Gators but elected not to play in college after he was selected in the second round (49th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2012. … Won the Midwest League Home Run Derby in 2013.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .305 | 77 | 129 | 24 | 71 | 1 | .394 | .556 |
| Career | .288 | 214 | 378 | 66 | 190 | 3 | .385 | .504 |
17 Mitch Haniger, RF
- Age: 31
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 214
- Bats: Right
What the Mariners need
Something similar to last season, when he was healthy for the whole year after missing more than half of 2019 and all of 2020 with injuries. Haniger showed he did not lose any power during the time away, and last year’s batting average (.253) was a big improvement from 2019 (.220). The Mariners will undoubtedly be happy if he can approach 39 home runs and 100 runs batted in again this season. And if you want to be greedy, maybe the batting average could rise to around .270.
Did you know?
Brother Jason was a four-year catcher at Georgia Tech and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008. … Set the Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, Calif.) career receiving record with 85 receptions for 888 yards and seven TDs.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .253 | 110 | 157 | 39 | 100 | 1 | .318 | .485 |
| Career | .263 | 313 | 510 | 101 | 289 | 18 | .339 | .481 |
28 Eugenio Suarez, 3B
- Age: 30
- Height: 5-11
- Weight: 213
- Bats: Right
What the Mariners need
The power he has showed throughout his career, with a batting average much closer to the numbers he had in 2018 and 2019 than what it was the past two seasons. Suarez hit .283 and .271 in 2018 and 2019, respectively, for the Cincinnati Reds while hitting 34 and 49 home runs. During the 2020 shortened season, he hit .202 with 15 homers and last season hit .198 with 31 homers. Which version of Suarez are the Mariners getting? If he’s his old self, the team will have found a great replacement for Kyle Seager.
Did you know?
Suarez’s 49 home runs in 2019 tied him with Ted Kluszewski (1954) for second-most in a season for the Cincinnati Reds. George Foster holds the Reds record with 52 in 1977.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .198 | 71 | 100 | 31 | 79 | 0 | .286 | .428 |
| Career | .252 | 506 | 887 | 193 | 547 | 28 | .334 | .466 |
10 Jarred Kelenic, CF
- Age: 22
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 206
- Bats: Left
What the Mariners need
Significant improvement from his rookie season. The Mariners have to like that Kelenic had by far his best month last season in September, when he had an OPS of .858. There should be less spotlight on Kelenic this year – which should be a good thing -- after he was called up amid great fanfare in May, then struggled so poorly in his first month that he had to be sent back to Class AAA Tacoma.
Did you know?
Played for the U-18 Team USA baseball team that won the 2016 and 2017 World Cups. … Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, which is also the hometown of Washington State football coach Jake Dickert.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .181 | 41 | 61 | 14 | 43 | 6 | .265 | .350 |
| Career | .181 | 41 | 61 | 14 | 43 | 6 | .265 | .350 |
44 Julio Rodriguez, DH
- Age: 21
- Height: 6-3
- Weight: 228
- Bats: Right
What the Mariners need
For the 21-year-old phenom, one of several players likely to see time at DH, to play well enough that no one questions why he started the season in Seattle and not in the minor leagues. No matter how good Rodriguez becomes, it is likely that he will have some early growing pains as teams adjust to what he is doing. No matter how he does, it will be one of the biggest story lines of the season for the Mariners.
Did you know?
Born in Loma de Cabrera in the Dominican Republic. It has a population of about 20,000 and was also the birthplace of longtime Atlanta Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal. … Received a $1.75 million signing bonus at age 16 as an international free agent.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .347 | 64 | 101 | 13 | 47 | 21 | .441 | .560 |
| Career* | .331 | 177 | 277 | 30 | 162 | 32 | .412 | .543 |
2 Tom Murphy, C
- Age: 31
- Height: 6-1
- Weight: 206
- Bats: Right
What the Mariners need
For the offensive numbers to be closer to what they were in 2019 than what they were last season. Murphy hit .273 with 18 homers in just 260 at-bats while playing a full season for the first time in 2019. After missing the 2020 season with a broken foot, his average plummeted to .202 last season and his OPS fell from .858 to .655. A repeat of 2019 might be unreasonable but somewhere in the middle would be good enough.
Did you know?
He played college baseball at the University of Buffalo, which has since dropped the sport, and was the Mid-American Conference player of the year in 2011 after hitting a school record 13 homers that season.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .202 | 35 | 56 | 11 | 34 | 0 | .304 | .350 |
| Career | .232 | 86 | 170 | 39 | 108 | 3 | .303 | .439 |
3 J.P. Crawford, SS
- Age: 27
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 202
- Bats: Left
What the Mariners need
Another excellent season of defense from one of the top fielding shortstops in the American League and continued progression at the plate. Crawford had the best offensive season of his career (.715 OPS) last year, and he could get even better if he can cut down on his strikeouts (114 last season). Crawford has emerged as a team leader and he could take on an even bigger role in that area with Kyle Seager gone.
Did you know?
When he won the Gold Glove in 2020, he was the first Mariner shortstop to win that award since Omar Vizquel in 1993. … Older sister Eliza played softball for Cal State Fullerton.
| Avg | R | H | HR | RBI | SB | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | .273 | 89 | 169 | 9 | 54 | 3 | .338 | .376 |
| Career | .250 | 190 | 339 | 21 | 142 | 17 | .331 | .367 |
38 Robbie Ray, SP
- Age: 30
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 225
- Throws: Left
What the Mariners need
Anything close to the season he had last year with the Toronto Blue Jays, which earned him the American League Cy Young Award. Ray has had an up-and-down career, and last year’s phenomenal season was preceded by the worst of his career. The big key for Ray last season was that he had the lowest walks per nine innings in his career (2.4) while continuing to be a strikeout pitcher (he led the American League with 248).
Did you know?
He grew up outside of Nashville and played on youth travel teams with star Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts.
| W-L | ERA | GS | IP | CG | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13-7 | 2.84 | 32 | 193.1 | 0 | 52 | 248 |
| Career | 62-58 | 4.00 | 189 | 1035.2 | 1 | 452 | 1290 |