GM Jerry Dipoto may be striving to meet the 54 percent challenge. The baseball offseason is still warming up, and the Seattle Mariners have been reducing their payroll. They traded Eugenio Suarez to Arizona and attached Jarred Kelenic to Marco Gonzales and Evan White, acquiring less desirable players as part of the deals. The moves may not prevent the Mariners from competing in the AL West but may not help them surpass the Rangers or Astros either. The team claims they are clearing space for potential big signings, possibly in the form of Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, or Cody Bellinger. However, the uncertainty surrounding MLB’s future, specifically regarding TV deals, could affect the team’s payroll and ability to make significant acquisitions in the offseason. This trend may impact other teams as well. As spring training approaches, the full impact of the Mariners’ recent trades remains to be seen, especially as uncertainties surrounding TV deals may affect team spending and the free agency market.