An Age-Old Question for the MLB Trade Deadline

HVH staff member and model, Foghorn Leghorn, poses for latest post cover.

 By Stevil & the HVH staff, May 24th, 2021.

  

We'll cut past the bad puns, stereotypes, myths—and even truths—to focus on familiar trade partners that happen to lineup well yet again. Of course we're referring to the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, but this time it's different: Players with talent could be involved. Players with talent should be involved. As unlikely as it might sound, swapping actual talent, and in Tampa's case, swapping proven talent, makes at least some sense for both clubs. We'll explain.

Tampa, as everyone knows by now, is an organization flush with infielders. In fact, they've already traded Willy Adames and still have an abundance. It's an area of strength. However, unlike Ji-Man Choi, their starting pitching depth has started to thin, and after this season it will be thinner than the denim from an old pair of jeans. Chris Archer, Rich Hill, Michael Wacha, and Collin McHugh will all hit free agency and questions surrounding the health of Brendan McKay and Brent Honeywell further complicate things. Tampa will have an exercise in acquisitions ahead of them.

Enter Seattle. We'll explain.

Seattle's farm is stout with starting pitching. Everybody knows that, right? Though most of their appealing arms are in high-A Everett, virtually all of them will reach the upper-minors by season's end and start knockin' on the door—begging for someone to let them in. What if Tampa were to answer it? We'll explain.

Tampa has a key player that happens to play a key position Seattle needs, and he's likely going to get squeezed stout of a regular role by the infusion of Wander Franco, Taylor Walls, and Vidal Bruján. If you're thinking that player is Brandon Lowe, you would be mistaken. Lowe's strikeouts make his contract and positional flexibility less appealing. The last thing Seattle needs is more strikeouts locked into their lineup, so get that idea stout of your heads and pay attention! There's more to this can of soup, such as Tampa's other dilemma, which we'll explain—and exaggerate.

With a whopping 8 players on the 60-day IL (yes, Archer is one of them), and with the inevitable promotion of Wander Franco looming, Tampa's 40-man roster is beyond bloated and set to erupt. The Rays will desperately need to trim down and find non-40 depth. Given that they still have an abundance of infielders, what if they used the one player Seattle could arguably use most to acquire some non-40 depth? We'll explain.

 

We're suggesting Tampa sends Joey Wendle, 3B/2B, to Seattle for Levi Stoudt, RHP, and Isaiah Campbell, RHP. Though both pitchers may end up in relief for the long-term, they would no doubt hearten Tampa's bowl of talent, and their developmental program's use of witchcraft all but assures success in any role those two eventually find themselves in. 

 

But how does this actually benefit Seattle for the long-term? We'll explain.

Short version: It doesn't. But they don't need a swap like this to address the long-term. Wendle would immediately slot in at second base, then slide to third next season. He would be far more affordable than Seager's 15 million-dollar option and the savings would allow Seattle to splurge elsewhere while simultaneously buying time for Noelvi Marte, who could feasibly debut in late '22. The Seager-era in Seattle wouldn't end in a postseason appearance, but the team would be better. Really, it would be. We'll explain.

Wendle's good. No, really. He offers superb offensive and defensive value, and he's a LHH. He may not really seem like a veteran (Credit Tampa's sorcery for that), but he is indeed just that, and though he's proven himself capable of handling a regular role, using him in utility wouldn't be a big deal if Marte finds himself ahead of schedule. Of course, it's entirely possible that Tampa (or Seattle) would demand a better return, but Seattle could surely cook up a stout alternative (sorry, last time) that would appease everyone, provided that Tampa is actually willing to part with Wendle. Nobody could fault them if they stubbornly preferred to keep him as insurance. 

Should Seattle move on from Kyle Seager? How long have we been asking that? Perhaps all of this speculation is out of paranoia—fear that Seattle must definitively find a replacement for him ASAP and get a jump on the offseason. Perhaps we're fools for thinking Seattle will use prospects as currency. Perhaps any deal between the two clubs is more likely to involve Mitch Haniger and a more hyped player in the return. Perhaps we're fools for thinking Tampa would deal within the American League. We aim to entertain regardless, and we think we've done just that without needing to explain.