Are the Mariners set for a reunion?

The Mariners have expressed interest in bringing back either Carlos Santana or Justin Turner to the 2025 team, but does a reunion make sense?

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Sometimes, you do get a second chance to make things right. The Mariners may have that opportunity this winter.

According to an article by Adam Jude at the Seattle Times, a reunion with either Carlos Santana or Justin Turner is considered likely. Doing some digging on the situation I can confirm, it appears one of these two players will be Seattle’s plan at first base/DH.

Since the end of the 2024 season, I have been saying that a reunion with either player makes a tremendous amount of sense, and Seattle seems to agree.

I profiled Santana and Turner in my offseason guide a few weeks ago.

Turner was acquired at the deadline in 2024 and subsequently posted a 126 wRC+ down the stretch for the Mariners. The 39-year-old was lauded for his leadership skills and his ability to be another voice in the clubhouse for hitters who have experienced winning at a high level.

The clubhouse voiced support for a reunion with Turner this offseason, and the club has responded with interest in retaining the soon-to-be-40-year-old first baseman.

According to Jude’s piece in the Seattle Times, the Mariners have also shown interest in a reunion with Carlos Santana. Santana finished the 2022 season in Seattle, including one of the biggest hits in Mariners postseason history.

Santana, similar to Justin Turner, was praised for his leadership and clutch factor. He came up huge for the Mariners in the most significant moments, seemingly saving each of his fifteen marine layer-defying home runs for the perfect times.

Seattle’s front office decided not to bring back Santana and seemingly searched for a replacement for nearly two full seasons until acquiring Justin Turner in July.

It wasn’t so much of the production that the Mariners lacked in their absence; the leadership and mentorship glued the clubhouse together.

While covering the Mariners multiple times in 2022, I saw Santana talk to J.P. Crawford after games about his approach as a left-handed hitter. He was well known for mentoring a 21-year-old rookie who had burst onto the scene. Turner helped in similar ways last season.

Not only does a reunion with one of these players make sense for Seattle’s clubhouse, but there are several on-field reasons a reunion makes sense.

1. Both are still solid players

Despite their advanced age, both of these guys can still ball. Santana posted a 114 wRC+ and 3.0 fWAR, becoming the oldest player to win his first Gold Glove award at 38 years old. He also whacked 23 home runs for the second straight season and was productive from both sides of the plate.

He did most of his damage from the right side, destroying lefties to the tune of a 161 wRC+. His ability to switch hit does add balance to the lineup from a handedness perspective. Santana will turn 39 shortly after opening day.

After being acquired by Seattle at the end of 2024, Justin Turner put up a 128 wRC+ down the stretch and a 117 wRC+ for the season. Despite a lack of power that likely won’t return to his game, Turner evolved by elevating his line drive rate and lowering his fly ball rate while maintaining high contact rates.