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Astros' AL West rival lands ex-Giants Silver Slugger winner

An Astros' rival makes a move.

ByJoey Mistretta|
September 7, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Donovan Solano (7) hits a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
September 7, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Donovan Solano (7) hits a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners signed infielder Donovan Solano to a one-year contract on Monday, the team announced. The move will not necessarily create too many headlines, but it gives Seattle an experienced veteran hitter. Solano, who made his MLB debut in 2012, has previously played for the Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres. He won the National League Silver Slugger Award for second baseman in 2020 with the Giants, per Baseball Reference. The Mariners, who are a rival of the Houston Astros in the American League West, are hopeful that Solano can upgrade their offense.

Solano is a quality contact hitter who does not strike out much. In fact, he has only struck out 100 times in a single season once in his career. Meanwhile, the versatile infielder has hit .279 for his career. Solano has hit .280 or better in each season since 2019.

In 2020, the shortened 60-game season, Solano slashed .326/.365/.463/.828 across 54 games played. As mentioned, he ended up earning his first and only (as of this story's writing) Silver Slugger of his career.

Solano most recently played for the Padres in 2024. He only appeared in 96 big league games with San Diego but hit .286/.343/.417/.760 during that span. At 37 years old, Solano is still more than capable of positively impacting an offense. The Mariners could use the offensive help without question.

Will the Mariners' signing make an impact on the Astros? Solano will not make or break the Mariners' 2025 season, but he should add some consistency to the lineup. The Astros are currently in an uncertain position, but if they are able to compete then Seattle will be among the teams to challenge Houston for the AL West title.

It remains to be seen how competitive the AL West will be in 2024. The Texas Rangers struggled during the '24 campaign after winning the 2023 World Series. They have questions on their roster, but Texas could have a rebound 2025 season if their roster stays healthy.

The Los Angeles Angels and Athletics have made a number of moves this offseason, but the chances of either team making a serious run at the division title still seems rather slim. Of course, anything can happen, but the Astros' biggest threats in the AL West are the Mariners and Rangers.

Donovan Solano will try to help the Mariners clinch the division title in 2025.

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