Just one win shy of their first World Series appearance in 2025, the Seattle Mariners know their biggest hurdle remains in the late innings, forcing a hard look at their bullpen. While Andrés Muñoz is solid, Seattle needs more reliable arms if it wants a deep postseason push. However, things don’t look promising for signing Edwin Díaz.

“The Mariners are not expected to be in the mix for high-end free agent closers still available, such as Edwin Diaz,” wrote Adam Jude of The Seattle Times.

Having a 1.63 ERA in 2025 with the New York Mets, Diaz is projected to sign a massive $88 million deal, as per Jim Bowden of The Athletic. As Seattle looks to save some money, a $7.5 million arm in Philadelphia could help.

With a left-handed reliever high on their wish list, the Phillies’ versatile southpaw Matt Strahm has reportedly drawn Mariners’ interest.

Matt Strahm has demonstrated his ability to effectively pitch both as a starter and out of the bullpen. That alone makes him appealing enough for teams looking for versatility in particular.

Since last season, he has struck out 30.5% of the hitters he’s faced while maintaining a decent 0.95 WHIP. The 34-year-old lefty brings plenty of experience in high-leverage situations, holding hitters to a .499 OPS in the past season.

The Phillies are juggling a payroll-heavy roster and are also evaluating their needs for next season.

Trading a high-utility lefty like Strahm could free up money and roster space for the Phillies. In return, they could bring players to fill other gaps.

With the Winter Meetings underway, the Mariners’ top priority will be to lock in reliable arms for the late innings next to Gabe Speier, especially after falling only one win short of their first-ever World Series appearance in 2025.

Although no formal offer has been made yet, analysts say the simplest route would be to bring Matt Strahm from the Phillies in exchange for the Mariners’ top catching prospect, Harry Ford.

For the record, Strahm is owed $7.5 million in 2026 and is entering the final year of his club control. Ford, on the other hand, is ranked No. 4 in the Mariners’ system.

While this trade checks all the boxes, the Mariners also have backup plans in place.

Mariners explore other bullpen options with winter meetings approaching

The next probable option for the Mariners is left-hander Hoby Milner.

His best season came in 2023 with the Milwaukee Brewers, when he recorded a 1.82 ERA in 73 outings. In 2025, he posted a 3.84 ERA over 73 appearances.

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Turning 35 next month, Milner’s distinctive sidearm delivery is especially tough on left-handed hitters. And that’s a cherry on top of the Mariners signing him and complementing Gabe Speier.

Speier has made a career-high 76 regular-season appearances in 2025 (2.61 ERA), plus seven more in the playoffs.

Another option for the Mariners is left-hander JoJo Romero of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals are likely in a rebuilding phase, and it makes sense if they might move Romero. He is projected to earn around $4.4 million in 2026, the final year of his club control.

The 29-year-old posted a 2.07 ERA this year while putting up a strong 54.5% groundball rate. He’s also been remarkably durable, making 65 appearances in each of the past two seasons.

Now, only time can tell which of these arms the Mariners will land.