Mariners' outfield could take off with rebound years from these two

SEATTLE -- The Mariners entered the offseason with more clarity on their outfield than any group on the roster. Yet two key pieces among that group are also seeking a bounceback from 2025, especially considering their lofty production in 2024.

Luke Raley and Victor Robles are penciled in for a chunk of the reps in right field -- along with Dominic Canzone -- and Robles and Raley are looking to overcome a season saddled with injuries and production that, at times, saw a significant dip.

In 2024, Raley and Robles were each under-the-radar additions to the organization who blossomed into two of its most impactful players. They combined for 5.5 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs, with 26 homers, 39 doubles, two triples, 41 stolen bases and an .810 OPS. In 2025, they were worth 0.0 WAR (Raley at 0.2 and Robles at -0.2) with five homers, 12 doubles, one triple, eight stolen bases and a .624 OPS.

But again, they were also limited by significant injuries -- and the subsequent rhythm and feel that the ailments threw off upon returning.

Robles suffered a left shoulder dislocation when diving into the netting in foul territory on April 6 and didn’t return until Aug. 23. He was also suspended for seven games (reduced from 10) after throwing his bat in the direction of a pitcher during a Minor League rehab assignment. He played in just 32 games, though he returned much earlier than expected. And he somehow one-upped himself for catch of the year with a game-sealing snag and double play in Houston on Sept. 20 that was arguably the biggest win of the season.

Raley, meanwhile, suffered a right oblique strain sustained during a swing in early batting practice that shelved him from April 28 to June 20, then a back spasm that he hinted might have been related landed him on the IL from July 30 until Aug. 15. He played in just 73 games.

MLB.com is polling all 30 clubs for bounceback candidates in 2026, and while this may be bending the rules by selecting two, the uniquely similar situations between Robles and Raley and the fact that they will likely have a timeshare at the same position makes this feel like an exception.

With Randy Arozarena locked down in left field and Julio Rodríguez in center, right field is where things get more interesting -- not just for how Robles and Raley fit but also for the fact that Canzone had a really strong year.

Canzone had an .840 OPS and was worth 1.5 WAR with a 141 wRC+ (league average is 100), while his strikeout rate dipped from 28.2% to 22%. Will that correlate to an everyday role? Probably not, considering his production tapered off to a .245 OPS in the postseason. But an intriguing question entering Spring Training will be how all three options fit.

Robles is entering the final year of a two-year, $9.75 million contract that carries a $9 million club option for 2027.

Raley is still three years away from free agency but looked like he might be a non-tender candidate last month, given his pronounced struggles and that he was left off Seattle’s ALCS roster vs. Toronto after being included among the ALDS contingent vs. Detroit. That he’s currently their only backup to first baseman Josh Naylor was likely a factor, though president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said at the Winter Meetings that they’d like to add another player to that mix.

Canzone is a player that the front office has always been bullish on, despite significant swing-and-miss and defensive lapses early in his Mariners tenure. His attitude -- and rebound -- from a Minor League demotion for the early part of last year were big reasons why.

If that trio plays to their ceiling, the Mariners might have one of the more dynamic outfields in the American League. But doing so hinges on bouncebacks from Raley and Robles.