If you’re looking for the warmest spot around the MLB offseason hot stove right now, look for the name of Ketel Marte. You might see the Seattle Mariners’ name nearby when you locate him, too.
Reports of interest and intrigue are picking up steam around the three-time All-Star second baseman who began his career with Seattle.
Was Harry Ford trade the best return the Mariners could get?
The latest on Monday afternoon came from MLB Network insider and frequent Seattle Sports guest Jon Morosi, who reported where the Diamondbacks stand on potentially making their star switch-hitter available.
“The D-backs are willing to engage with teams on Ketel Marte, but the price tag is high – with an emphasis on starting pitchers who are at (or near) the major-league level,” Morosi wrote on social media.
The Mariners are have “expressed interest” in bringing Marte back to Seattle, The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude reported Monday, but there have been no indications that the M’s and D-backs have engaged on talks about Marte.
In 2025, Marte won his second career Silver Slugger award after slashing .283/.376/.517 for an .893 OPS with 28 home runs, and he was essentially platoon neutral with an .893 OPS as a left-handed hitter and .891 OPS as a right-handed hitter.
Marte was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2010 by the Mariners and played the first 176 games of his MLB career with Seattle in 2015 and 2016. The Mariners sent him to Arizona in the trade that brought Mitch Haniger and Jean Segura to Seattle, and while that move worked well for the M’s, Marte has blossomed into one of the best and most consistent hitters in the big leagues with the D-backs.
Seattle has some unsettled positions in their infield for 2026, with Cole Young and Ben Williamson slotted in at second and third base respectively coming off their first season in the big leagues. The Mariners could still potentially re-sign Jorge Polanco, another switch-hitting second baseman, or Eugenio Suárez, the slugging third baseman they acquired back from Arizona just before the MLB trade deadline in July. That means Marte is far from the only option for the M’s if they’re looking to add a proven bat this winter.
For what it’s worth, there may be an answer on Polanco’s destination for 2026 soon, with ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reporting on Monday that he is “expected to sign with a team during the winter meetings” that are taking place this week in Orlando. That could have a big impact on whether or not the M’s make a run at a trade for Marte.
Salk: Why Mariners’ offseason now hinges on Jorge Polanco
Morosi’s report about the Diamondbacks’ needs is very similar to what was said before Seattle made separate deals with Arizona for Josh Naylor and Suárez in July.
“They need pitchers that are close to ready,” John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM in Phoenix told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on July 21.
Who have they got?
The Mariners have avoided trading any of their primary starting pitchers to this point, and there’s been no indication that would change this winter, even if it’s for Marte. Seattle does have some arms outside of the five-man rotation that are at or near the major league level, though.
Logan Evans made 15 starts as a rookie in 2025, while 2020 first-round pick Emerson Hancock made 16. In the minors, switch-pitcher and 2024 first-round pick Jurrangelo Cijntje is the No. 90 overall prospect as ranked by MLB and reached Double-A last season, while 2024 second-rounder Ryan Sloan is MLB’s No. 44 prospect after reaching High-A with Everett this year.
And then there’s lefty Kade Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick this year out of LSU who has yet to throw a pitch as a pro but is the No. 23 prospect per MLB and could debut in the majors as soon as next season.
That being said, the Mariners were able to swing their two trades with the Diamondbacks this year without touching their starting pitching depth. The Naylor trade cost them pitching prospects Ashton Izzi and Brandyn Garcia, while first baseman Tyler Locklear and relief prospects Hunter Cranton and Juan Burgos was the price for Suárez.
The 32-year-old Marte, however, is a much different case than Naylor or Suárez, who were both on expiring contracts when they were traded. Marte is entering the second year of a six-year, $116.5 million contract that will last through 2030 and includes an $11.5 million player option for 2031. At that rate, the Diamondbacks should have plenty of suitors to choose from. And if an interested team isn’t willing or able to fill the request for MLB-level starting pitching, Arizona may be apt to move on and look for another trade partner who can better fit that need.
More on the Seattle Mariners
• Drayer: What the Jose Ferrer trade means for Mariners
• Mariners announce 2026 coaching staff, including three new hires
• America’s team? Mariners the top trending team in 2025
• Bowden: Mariners ahead of the game entering winter meetings
• Salk: The emerging trade targets who best fit Seattle Mariners
