It’s not quite time to fire up the stoves, but the not-so-bad baseball season is about to begin for the Seattle Mariners.

MLB Insider Reacts to Two Seattle Mariners “What If” Scenarios

Here are some key dates you may want to keep an eye on.

• Free agency begins the day after the conclusion of the World Series. At this point, players and new teams can chat with each other, but signings can only take place at 2 p.m. five days later. A team can, however, sign one of its own free agents within that five-day window. The Mariners have just two players set to become free agents: first baseman Justin Turner and relief pitcher Yimi García, their two acquisitions from Toronto at the trade deadline.

• Contract options must be exercised within five days of the end of the World Series. For the Mariners, a decision will have to be made on whether or not they accept the $12 million option on second baseman Jorge Polanco’s contract or give him a $750,000 buyout.

Report: Mariners’ Polanco undergoes surgery, played through injury

• Another decision that must be made by teams during the first five days following the World Series is whether or not to extend the qualifying offer to their eligible free agents. The Mariners have no eligible players as Turner and Garcia were acquired during the season.

• The fifth day after the conclusion of the World Series is also the deadline for reinstatement of all players on the 60-day injured list. García, utility player Sam Haggerty and relievers Matt Brash and Jackson Kowar finished the season on Seattle’s 60-day IL. With two free agents coming off the 40-man roster – which currently stands at 39 – no moves will be necessary to reinstate them. The Mariners will have three open spots.

• November 4-7: General Manager Meetings in San Antonio, Texas. The chief executives of the 30 clubs meet to discuss issues such as rule changes, but commercial discussions are also rife, with the foundations of future deals often laid and sometimes concluded.

• November 18: Hall of Fame voting is announced. Ichiro and Félix Hernández will be on the lists for the first time.

• November 19: Deadline for teams to add eligible minor league players to the 40-man roster before the Rule 5 Draft.

• November 22: No-bid deadline. Players eligible for pre-arbitration and arbitration must be offered a contract before this date, otherwise they become free agents. Mariners arbitration-eligible players with salary projections from MLBTraderumors.com:

RP Austin Voth: $2.2 million
RP JT Chargois: $1.7 million
IF Luis Urias: $5 million
RP Trent Thornton: $2.1 million
OF Randy Arozarena: $11.7 million
IF Josh Rojas: $4.3 million
OF/IF Sam Haggerty: $900,000
SP Logan Gilbert: $8.1 million
RP Tayler Saucedo: $1 million
C Cal Raleigh: $5.6 million
PR Gabe Speier: $900,000
SP George Kirby: $5.5 million

• December 8-11: Baseball Winter Meetings in Dallas. Baseball’s largest meeting bringing together organizations, media and agents in one location. Deals happen here. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. Anyway, that’s four days of baseball news. Away from trades and signings, the Rule 5 Draft and MLB Draft lottery will take place here.

• December 11: “Baseball Hall of Fame Ford C. Frick Award winner announced”. Mariners broadcaster Dave Sims is one of 10 finalists.

• January 9: Deadline for arbitration-eligible teams and players who have not yet agreed to a 2025 contract to trade and submit their salaries to arbitration. The hearings will be scheduled for late January/early February.

• Mid-January: The international signing period begins.

• FEBRUARY: Pitchers and catchers report to spring training. A date for the Mariners’ report has not yet been set.

MLB Awards Schedule

• October 15 – Golden Gloves Finalists
• During the World Series – Roberto Clemente Award winner
• November 3: Golden Gloves winners
• November 4 – Silver Slugger Finalists
• November 11: BBWAA finalists
• November 12: Silver Slugger winners
• November 19 – Manager of the year
• November 20 – Cy Young Award
• November 21: MVP awards

More Seattle Mariners coverage

• Where Mariners prospects stand in latest MLB Pipeline update
• Mariners send prospect to Rays to finalize Arozarena trade
• Sailors name Kevin Martinez president of business operations
• ESPN’s Jeff Passan: The three positions Mariners need to tackle
• Morosi: What should be the Seattle Mariners’ priority this offseason

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