MLB Rumors: Jorge Soler Drawing Interest from Diamondbacks, Mariners in Free Agency

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On the second-tier of the free-agent market, Jorge Soler figures to be an attractive option for teams that want to plug a power hitter into the middle of their lineup.

Per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners are among the teams exploring the possibility of signing the 2021 World Series MVP.

Soler became a free agent by opting out of the final season of his deal with the Miami Marlins which would have paid him $9 million in 2024.

This is a weak free-agent market for position players, especially if teams want to add a power hitter to their lineup. Shohei Ohtani is the clear No. 1 player and will potentially sign the richest deal in MLB history.

Behind Ohtani, though, are several players with a lot of question marks. Cody Bellinger had a terrific bounce-back year with the Chicago Cubs, but he still has a .236/.294/.420 slash line since the start of the 2021 season.

Matt Chapman has three straight seasons with a sub-.440 slugging percentage and hasn’t posted an on-base percentage over .330 since 2019. J.D. Martinez is a DH-only player who will be 36 for most of next season.

Arizona has already added one power hitter to its lineup by acquiring third baseman Eugenio Suárez from the Seattle Mariners. The reigning NL champs do need an upgrade at DH after getting a .219/.291/.387 slash line from the position in 2023.

The Mariners need a power hitter after trading away Suárez and Jarred Kelenic. Teoscar Hernández, who hit 26 homers for the team last season, is also a free agent.

Soler comes with his own limitations as a player. He’s also a DH-only option at this point in his career, but he’s five years younger than Martinez and was named to his first All-Star team in 2023.

The 31-year-old hit .250/.341/.512 with 36 homers and 75 RBI in 137 games for the Marlins. He led the AL with 48 homers in 2019 and owns a .243/.330/.467 slash line in 870 career games.