"Pete Alonso was a slam-dunk" - Justin Turner questions ex-team Mariners' lack of effort in signing Mets' $54,000,000 star

It was a relatively uneventful offseason for the Seattle Mariners. After missing out on the final American League Wild Card spot by one game last season, there was belief that the team would be active in free agency looking to load up for the upcoming campaign.

Despite making it known that the team was looking to bolster their infield specifically, the Seattle Mariners opted to make a few minor moves that left some fans and analysts disappointed. One of the only signings that the club made was bringing in veteran utilityman Donovan Solano on a one-year, $3.5 million deal, and re-signing Jorge Polanco.

The disappointing offseason was something that former Seattle infielder Justin Turner is confused about. The two-time All-Star spent 48 games with the Mariners last season and was a first-hand witness to the club nearly securing a postseason berth, which makes the team's lack of decisions even more frustrating for Turner.

“The fact that they missed the playoffs by one game, and didn’t go out and add an impact bat or two when you have the best pitching staff in baseball. Just seems absurd to me," Turner told USA TODAY.

Several star infielders were available in free agency this offseason that would have been considerable upgrades for Seattle. Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso were among the stars that the team could have pursued, instead they all signed elsewhere, with Alonso landing a two-year $54 million deal with the Mets. This is something that added to the frustration for Justin Turner.

Turner noted that the Seattle Mariners have one of the best pitching staffs in baseball with stars such as Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, Bryan Miller, and George Kirby cemented in the rotation. The veteran infielder believes that the team's front office has failed to bolster the lineup around the loaded rotation.

“There’s never going to be a better time in the history of that franchise to have added a couple of bats to make a run than this year... I thought Alonso was a slam-dunk. How can you not go after him? You kidding me?" Turner continued.

Justin Turner defended Mariners President Jerry Dipoto despite criticism of the team's offseason

Although Turner took aim at the lack of sizable moves made by Seattle this offseason, the veteran infielder defended the team's President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto.

“I think Jerry catches a bad rap for a lot of these trades and how crazy some of these trades have been... He doesn’t have any money to spend, so he’s got to create money. Like, OK, is it really Jerry’s fault?" Turner continued.

While the club has not been able to land a notable free agent, the team has made a few significant trades in recent years, including acquiring Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays. Given the team's budget, Seattle might need to move a veteran such as Luis Castillo to address the infield needs.