The 2020 MLB season is now a 60-game dash, starting on July 23 and ending, hopefully, with a full-size postseason in October. Between now and the start of the season, we’ll be giving quick capsule previews of each team, reminding you of where things stood back in Spring Training and where they stand now as we embark on what is sure to be the strangest season in baseball history. Next up: The Seattle Mariners roster and schedule:
MARINERS ROSTER (projected)
When the season opens on July 23-24, teams can sport rosters of up to 30 players, with a minimum of 25. Two weeks later, rosters must be reduced to 28 and then, two weeks after that, they must be reduced to 26. Teams will be permitted to add a 27th player for doubleheaders.
In light of that, there is a great degree of latitude for which specific players will break summer camp. For now, though, here are who we expect to be on the Mariners roster to begin the season, give or take:
Catchers
Tom Murphy
Austin Nola
Infielders:
Evan White
Shed Long Jr.
Dee Gordon
J.P. Crawford
Kyle Seager
Tim Lopes
Daniel Vogelbach
Outfielders
Kyle Lewis
Jake Fraley
Mallex Smith
Braden Bishop
José Marmolejos
Starters
Marco Gonzales
Taijuan Walker
Yusei Kikuchi
Kendall Graveman
Justus Sheffield
Justin Dunn
Relievers
Austin Adams
Dan Altavilla
Brandon Brennan
Nestor Cortes
Carl Edwards Jr.
Taylor Guilbeau
Matt Magill
Anthony Misiewicz
Yohan Ramirez
Erik Swanson
BREAKDOWN:
The seemingly never-ending cycle of rebuild-failed promise-selloff-rebuild continues apace in Seattle. It was a pretty quiet offseason for the Mariners, with GM Jerry Dipoto not engaging in his usual flurry of trades. Probably because all of the guys from the last would-be contending M’s squad had departed already or were allowed to simply walk away. Some minor signings took place -- Kendall Graveman, Taijuan Walker, Carl Edwards Jr. -- but that was basically it. Now Mariners fans wait for their farm system, which is now considered to be in the top half of all clubs’ systems, to begin to bear fruit. But that’s gonna be a while still.
In the meantime, Seattle will field some journeymen, some retreads, and will begin to work some of the young talent into the mix. And they will also, almost certainly, finish in last place in the AL West.
MARINERS SCHEDULE:
Every team will play 60 games. Teams will be playing 40 games against their own division rivals and 20 interleague games against the corresponding geographic division from the other league. Six of the 20 interleague games will be “rivalry” games.
Mariners home stands will be July 31-August 9 (Athletics, Angels, Rockies), August 19-23 (Dodgers, Rangers), September 1-7 (Athletics, Rangers), and September 15-23 (Giants, Padres, Astros).