The three best trade partners for the Mariners
The three best trade partners for the Mariners
Three teams I believe would be the best fits for the Mariners at the deadline.
The trade deadline is fast approaching and your Seattle Mariners have been completely silent. Aside from a few massive moves (see Texas Rangers), most of the league has been quiet as well.
There’s no doubt Seattle will be active in the next 24 hours, likely as both buyers and sellers. Who could Jerry and Justin look to partner with? Let’s take a look.
Honorable Mentions: Diamondbacks, Phillies, Orioles, Yankees, Mets, Marlins
The Diamondbacks would be a fit for either Teoscar Hernández or Paul Sewald, as well as any other relievers Seattle could offer. They are less interesting for Sewald because of the lack of high end options to me, which lowers them.
Many have brought up the idea of Alec Bohm, but I don’t love the fit with Philly. They are a fit for Hernández or any other right handed bat.
The Orioles are very much a high end target for Seattle, as they really need starting pitching or potentially another back end arm. I could see these sides linking up in the offseason, but during the season seems unlikely for now.
Who knows what could happen, especially between teams with history. The Yankees are in a weird spot, but could really use a bat like Hernández. I do like a few of their upper levels middle infielders, but who knows if they will deal from the surplus.
The Mets are interesting for Seattle, mostly because of Mark Canha. I think he is a legit option and a real possibility in the next 24 plus hours. Tommy Pham and a few other players are of interest as they continue to sell.
The Marlins need right handed thump, and the Mariners have some to help. They have a few players that I really like, including Xavier Edwards. The dream is to find a way to pry Jazz Chisholm away.
3. Tampa Bay Rays
Trading with the Rays is always scary, and I almost left them off the list as a result. Their players just never seem to be quite as good as they were in Tampa after being dealt, but the fit here is undeniable.
Tampa needs pitching badly, and Jerry Dipoto is very familiar with the Rays. I think Paul Sewald or any of their starters are possible here on the high end.
Brandon Lowe and Vidal Brujan are intuitive fits, with Lowe being one of my very favorites. Curtis Mead is a very interesting corner infield bat that is currently blocked in AAA.
Ultimately the fit is solid, I have them at three because of risk aversion.
2. St. Louis Cardinals
At this point you know the names, I just wrote about them last week. The national media has beaten this fit into a pulp, seemingly trying to will it into existence (looking at you Morosi). However, for the most part they have been talking about the wrong players in my opinion.
For months all we have heard about is Logan Gilbert or other starters going to the Cardinals for Lars Nootbar (a ridiculous proposal). If they were to combine on a move like that, it wouldn’t be till the offseason in my opinion.
Instead I believe the Cardinals could be interested in someone like Emerson Hancock. What we saw from the NL Central cellar dwellars yesterday was a willingness to trade from their MLB roster for prospects, which I think could be the move for Seattle here.
What about Hancock, Jonatan Clase and another arm for a player like Brendan Donovan or Dylan Carlson? Seattle needs to fix their outfield and second base, and has a few select upper minors players they could offer.
Outside of those two players, we know Seattle has liked Tyler O’Neill in the past despite rumors St. Louis is unwilling to trade him. We also know they have had conversations with them about Paul DeJong, a nice infield piece.
St. Louis has plenty of position player fits on smaller deals, and I think they could zero in on Hancock if Seattle is willing. Jack Flaherty’s market may be too pricey, so look for position player fits involving Emerson Hancock as a possibility.
1. Minnesota Twins
Where do I even start? The Twins are the perfect dance partner for Jerry and Justin at this year’s ball.
Seattle just finished two separate series in which they took four of seven from the AL Central leaders. Although the Mariners ultimately prevailed, the left handed hitters for Minnesota gave them fits. This order is nearly entirely left handed, especially in the power department.
This makes them a really good fit for a Tom Murphy or Teoscar Hernández. I don’t think Seattle would part with Murphy at this point, but the Twins have plenty of enticing pieces. They could also really use another back end arm to pair with Jhoan Durán, making Paul Sewald or other Seattle bullpen pieces interesting.
Alex Kiriloff just hit the injured list, which could make them hesitate but the options are plentiful. Trevor Larnach is somebody the Twins have expressed interest in moving, and they have a ton of other left handed hitting outfielders. Larnach seems like an interesting player for Seattle, especially considering their history of loving blocked 24-26 year old hitters. He strikes out a little too much for my taste.
Max Kepler is a very interesting fit, but could be a rental with his upcoming club option. He plays excellent defense in right field, which would be an interesting swap for Hernández. He has also been above average at the plate their year, although the numbers don’t look super pretty.
I am most interested in the infielders here. On the lower end, Donovan Solano is interesting as a rental. All he does is hit, and could provide some offense and on base at the second base position.
On the high end there are three very interesting targets for Seattle here. Jorge Polanco, Brooks Lee, and Royce Lewis have to be tantalizing targets for Jerry Dipoto.
Let’s start with Lewis. The often injured former super prospect is once again on the IL, but with Jorge Polanco returning could lose his spot anyways. Lewis has all the tools to play anywhere in the infield, he just needs to stay healthy. He was terrific in limited action this year.
Polanco is a very interesting target, one that I have liked for a long time. He has been a good big leaguer for a long time, but has suffered injuries over the past few seasons. He has missed most of 2023 with a reoccurring hamstring injury. A 30 year old switch hitter with high on base skills, Polanco would fit seamlessly in the Seattle lineup.
Brooks Lee is probably a pipe dream, but I love him. A switch hitting shortstop, Lee has dominated Double A Witchita this year. The only caveat is that Lee probably isn’t ready to help the big league team yet, but his arrival leads to even more crowding in the Minnesota infield.
Conclusion
The Mariners figure to start their activity today (Monday). The deadline ends on Tuesday at 3 PM Seattle time, so to avoid pushing the limits the front office may be active soon.
Another win today would put Seattle firmly in buyer’s camp at 4 games over .500. Good morning and GOMS.
