The Seattle Mariners are not expected to retain Randy Arozarena but are reportedly prepared to extend him a one-year qualifying offer worth $23.15 million for 2027, according to Jon Heyman. That figure equals the average salary of MLB’s 125 highest-paid players, calculated at $23.15 million for this year.
Randy Arozarena and the $23.15M qualifying offer
Arozarena is expected to reject the qualifying offer and test free agency after a career-best 2026 season. Indications cited in the reporting suggest he wants to sign with an Eastern club and that his next contract could land in the $100–125 million range. If he signs elsewhere, the Mariners would receive a draft pick (a pick after the first round), and the front office will need to account for the lost value. The qualifying-offer move signals some willingness to add $23.15 million to next season’s payroll; available numbers suggest the team could potentially add up to roughly $40 million.
Seiya Suzuki, right field
Seiya Suzuki is also likely to reject a qualifying offer and would be linked to draft-pick compensation. Signing a player who rejected a qualifying offer would cost the Mariners their third-highest 2027 draft selection, while Arozarena signing elsewhere would net them a pick after the first round. Reported initial contract projections place Suzuki near three years and $66 million; even a four-year, $80 million deal would average less than $23.15 million per year. The 32-year-old has produced a 131 OPS+ and 25 home runs from the right side over the last four seasons and was a Gold Glove finalist this season. If Suzuki were in right field, the Mariners could stage a spring-training competition for left field between Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo or consider trading one of them.
Ian Happ, left field
Ian Happ, a 32-year-old left fielder and Gold Glove finalist, would be an upgrade on defense and can be expected to reach roughly 20–25 home runs per season despite significant strikeouts. Market valuations cited in the reporting put Happ near a two-year, $40 million range; even with an added year at a similar average annual value, he would remain cheaper than Suzuki and substantially cheaper than the projection for Arozarena.
Adrian Morejon, lefty reliever
With a limited pool of realistic free-agent hitters for the Mariners, the club could instead convert the lost value into pitching. The current free-agent class is noted for its strength among relievers, and Adrian Morejon is highlighted as a top option among them. The 27-year-old lefty can touch 102 mph and has refined his command over the last two years: across 151 appearances he posted a 2.48 ERA and a 3.9 K/BB ratio over 159.2 innings. Morejon is also likely to reject a qualifying offer and could view Tanner Scott’s four-year, $72 million contract as a comparative template; that average remains below $23.15 million per year. Pairing Morejon with a healthy Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz would be presented as a way to bolster a bullpen that struggled in 2026.
The Mariners’ reported plan to extend a qualifying offer to Arozarena frames how the team might reallocate resources: pursue lower-cost marquee position players, invest in bullpen help, or a mix of both to make up for the outfield production they are likely to lose.
