The Seattle Mariners are being projected to land Seiya Suzuki once the free-agent market opens, a prediction that would send the longtime Chicago Cubs outfielder to the American League West and reshape both clubs’ winter plans.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report made that call in his October 1 free-agent forecast, arguing that Seattle could need a replacement for Randy Arozarena and that Suzuki would be a strong fit for the job.
Buckley noted that Suzuki has spent all five of his major-league seasons with the Cubs, and that a reunion is still plausible, but far from automatic. Chicago has pitching to address, and both of its corner outfielders, Suzuki and Ian Happ, are headed to the open market.
Keeping Suzuki would not come cheap after he combined for 58 home runs and 189 RBI over the past two seasons. Buckley also cited Mitch Bannon of The Athletic, who reported that the Toronto Blue Jays are expected to pursue Suzuki, and added that other win-now clubs will be in the same conversation.
His prediction was blunt: Suzuki signs with the Mariners.
The logic sits on what Seattle might lose as much as what it might gain. Buckley’s same piece projects Arozarena, coming off a career year that included an AL-best 113 runs, a .865 OPS, 26 home runs, 26 steals, and a 151 wRC+, to land a deal of at least four years and $100 million, and more likely something in the five-year, $110 million to $125 million range.
Buckley’s landing spot for him is the Atlanta Braves, not Seattle. If that departure happens, the Mariners would be shopping for outfield thump at the same moment Suzuki becomes available.
Suzuki — who was recently projected to bag a $150 million deal by Cubbies Crib — would not be a bargain replacement.
He is a right-handed power bat who has produced at least 20 home runs in each of the last four seasons, and his production over 2025 and 2026 is the kind of run that tends to push a contract into nine figures. Toronto’s interest, as relayed by Bannon, already suggests he will not lack suitors.
The Blue Jays need more offense, and so do several other clubs that expect to contend. Seattle’s case is more specific: if Arozarena walks, the Mariners need a corner outfielder who can drive in runs without requiring the same length or dollar figure that Arozarena is expected to command.
A Cubs return remains on the table. Buckley wrote that Suzuki is worth bringing back, and Chicago knows the player. The obstacle is priority. With Happ also free and the pitching staff in need of attention, the front office may decide the money is better spent elsewhere. That is the opening Buckley sees for Seattle.
The Mariners would be buying a proven major-league bat rather than waiting on a prospect, and they would be doing it in a market where the top position-player alternative, Arozarena, may be priced out of their plans and pointed toward the East Coast.
None of this is a done deal. The current collective bargaining agreement is nearing expiration, which Buckley described as a reason this winter feels more uncertain than usual. Contract lengths, opt-outs, and even the timing of signings could shift if labor talks drag.
Still, the prediction is a clean one. If Arozarena leaves and the Cubs hesitate on a second big outfield commitment, Buckley’s crystal ball has Suzuki in a Mariners uniform.
