The rotation?

It's a sure bet that the Mariner's pitching rotation at the end of this upcoming season will not look like opening night's.  And between now and March 28's opener there are many, maybe too many, decisions to be made.  

With Paxton gone and no reason to believe Felix is going to turnaround his steep four-year decline, Dipoto is banking on Marco Gonzalez to assume the ace spot. Only 27, Gonzalez has shown some good things and made a full recovery after missing 2016 to Tommy John surgery.  He seems to have both the stuff - a nifty change-up - and the head to improve on last year's 13-9, 4.0.  He tends to be overpowering in the first four or five innings, then to fall off around the sixth.  Tired? Batters figured him out the third time through? Concentration?

Mike Leake and Wade LeBlanc are still around, both better suited to handle the 3 or 4 hole in the rotation.  Unfortunately Felix's proficiency has slipped him to the back of the rotation, too.

Faces on the horizon?  Dipoto made headlines obtaining Japanese leftie Yusei Kikuchi, who they plan to phase in carefully, adjusting him to the rigors of MLB and easing his return from a shoulder injury.  Also in the wings are highly regarded, but untested, off-season acquistions Justus Sheffield, Erik Swanson and Justin Dunn.  Roenis Elias is still out there, Kuma, however, returned to Japan.  After that there's a cast of 23 more roster/non-roster pitches to choose from.

Oh yes, and a brand new pitching coach with no major league experience.

February is baseball's month of question-marks and, right now, the M's starting rotation doesn't present many answers.