MLB Rumors: Seattle Mariners Likely Parting With All-Star Outfielder

The Seattle Mariners are likely to part ways with Carlo Gonzales with the 34-year-old seemingly not part of the team's plans. The three-time MLB All-Star hardly made a difference from the Mariners and is expected to request for his release soon.

Gonzales hardly produced impressive numbers last MLB season. He was .273/.360/.318 across 25 plate appearances. And while these could be slightly impressive numbers, they may not be enough to convince Seattle of keeping him, the Seattle Times reported.

Instead, the Mariners seem to be diverting their focus on promising and younger players. This would include guys like Jake Fraley who is the looming favorite to be in the right field. Aside from him, there is also Mallex Smith and Kyle Lewis. The list goes deeper with players like Tim Lopes, Patrick Wisdom, Dylan Moore, and Sam Haggerty also in the mix.

Gonzales had his best years with the Colorado Rockies, a team he played for from 2009 to 2018. He had a wRC+ above 100 in each of those seasons before injuries started to crop up in 2014. From there, the three-time Golden Glove awardee simply struggled to get back into the groove. Aside from the Marines and the Rockies, Gonzales also played for the Oakland Athletics and partly for the Cleveland Indians last year.

With Gonzales seemingly displaced, it will be interesting if any other MLB team would take a chance on the outfielder. The answer to that could get more clarity once the 34-year-old decides on his next step. There is a chance he could stick with the Mariners and take his chances of making the roster. Even if he does, Gonzales may need to lower his expectations with a lot of young guys on the roster likely to be prioritized ahead of him.

The next step for the Mariners and Gonzales may take some time to resolve. The MLB announced that it will delay the 2020 regular season by at least two weeks in light of the coronavirus issue. Aside from that, all spring training games have been canceled, Seattlepi reported.

The original plan was to start the league on Apr. 9. But given the uncontrollable circumstances, seeing that happen is now practically impossible. And even if the MLB were to push through, there is no telling if the usual 162 games per season will remain.