Addressing the Fans' Disdain for the Mariners: The Trade Acquisition Addition Part 1.

 

Mariner fan captured on canvas by local artist in Pioneer Square.

By Tommy Gunner & Stevil, 25 May, 2023

We're going to keep this short and to the point. DH is the biggest need right now and an area Seattle would probably like to address as soon as possible. Second base is José Caballero's job to lose, but if he struggles over the next 30-60 days, Seattle could be shopping for second base help. For now, we'll focus on controllable DH bats for this exercise and the targets are based on the assumption that their current respective teams will fall out of the postseason race. A high-leverage reliever may be on the wish-list as well, so we'll also throw a few names out from that department. 

Here's our list of targets:

Designated Hitter/Part-time fielder

1. Seiya Suzuki.

With a Cubs team still looking a little thin for success this season and the likeliness that they would like to retain Cody Bellinger beyond 2023, moving a contract like Suzuki's might be necessary for Chicago's future. This is speculation on our part, of course, but with an alternative power source in Velázquez, and Tauchman able to serve as a fourth outfielder and fallback option, plus the possibility of an outfielder heading to Chicago in the return...

This would be something to watch for in the offseason if he isn't dealt at the deadline. Suzuki has a full no-trade clause, so some incentive may be necessary to facilitate a swap, but that would probably just be a detail.

2. Brent Rooker.

Oakland may have found a diamond in the rough and it's hard to see them not cashing in. He'll likely be in demand, so we wouldn't expect a bargain, but it's easy to see Seattle being able to put together an enticing package. Though Rooker is in a bit of a slump at the moment, we like his approach and the fact that he makes hard contact and uses the entire field. Oakland may want to hang on to him for another month or two and see how he adjusts, but this feels like one of the more realistic trade possibilities should he prove this is more than a small sample size of success. 

3. Eloy Jiménez.

The big question here is his health. Should Seattle even mess with a player that frequents the IL as often as he does? We're assuming he's just as available as Suzuki and we acknowledge that we could be wrong about one or both. Or everything. He wouldn't be our first choice, and we would probably prefer a rental-bat (well, likely rental), such as Conforto should he be made available. But Eloy has hit when healthy and he shouldn't cost too much to acquire. 

Relievers...

1. Brent Suter. 

We said we'd focus on controllable bats. We said nothing about controllable relievers and Suter would in fact be a rental. He's a lefty that misses bats, and with Muñoz returning, and the possibility of Berroa debuting before too long, Seattle could actually be more selective situationally. That's a luxury they really haven't had in spite of mostly solid results from the 'pen. 

2. Brad Hand.

Fellow Rocky relief veteran, Brad, makes just as much sense as Brent. He's missed even more bats, but of course that's not the only thing we're looking at. Neither player should cost much to acquire and it's all but a guarantee a rational front office like that of the Rockies will move both players before the deadline, right?  

3. Tanner Scott.

Tanner is controllable through 2024, so he might cost a little more to acquire, but he's been a dependable arm for Miami and could give Seattle more than an inning each pop (if needed). 

Notes

*The trade market won't likely heat up for another 3 weeks, so we're jumping the gun a bit. Other possibilities will emerge as we get into the summer. Some of these names may no longer be feasible then, but there's no harm in talking about them now. 

*Kolten Wong has had some incredibly bad luck. But there's nothing we can see that really suggests it's only bad luck that's responsible for his terrible start. We're anticipating him being designated for assignment when Moore returns (tomorrow?) barring no IL-stints. If this is the case, we'll wish him well with his next team.

*AJ Pollock should probably get a little more rope. But we could see him being a part of a return to help offset salary as well. 

*We don't believe leaning on Seattle's internal alternatives would be wise. We're thrilled to see several names finding success in Tacoma, but Seattle needs MLB hitters.