LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Jerry Dipoto acknowledged the obvious disappointment of not landing top target Shohei Ohtani as the Winter Meetings opened on Monday, but the Mariners' general manager never sits still for long and believes his club is now close to landing an impact pitcher -- most likely a reliever -- to bolster his staff.
"We're hopeful we can get something done on the pitching front while we're here," said Dipoto after a day spent talking with agents and other team executives. "I can't say that's imminent, but I feel we're at least in a deal-making zone in at least one case.