As was the case last season, the Seattle Mariners face quite an intriguing MLB trade deadline in the coming days.
Ahead of the 2021 MLB trade deadline, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto opted for low-risk, high-reward moves in an effort to provide his team with one last push to clinch a wild-card spot in the American League. In the end, the additions of the likes of Tyler Anderson and Joe Smith were not enough to help snap the Mariners’ lengthy playoff drought.
Dipoto now approaches the upcoming trade deadline with an opportunity for redemption. He surely has the talent in the organization to put forth quality offers for Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto or Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo. However, if he elects to take a conservative route by instead seeking to acquire low-cost players who could help Seattle maintain its current spot in the AL wild-card standings, these two talents would fit the bill on such a matter.
2 sneaky MLB trade deadline targets for Mariners
Zach Davies
Speaking to Seattle Sports 710 AM last week, Dipoto noted that he is aiming to bolster the Mariners’ starting rotation.
“I’ll reestablish – and I said this last week – our biggest need or our primary objective going into this deadline is to find a way to add to our rotation,” Dipoto said.
“If that means impact at the top and then some type of timeshare at the back, primarily because we want to help to manage George Kirby’s innings and not overtax him in the second half.”
The Mariners do boast a durable rotation, as Robbie Ray, Logan Gilbert, Marco Gonzales, and Chris Flexen each have logged at least 100.0 innings pitched so far in the 2022 campaign. The concern for the Mariners heading into the stretch run of the season centers on just who will be their go-to No. 5 starter. Matt Brash has been handed a chance to take over the role, although command issues coupled with his 6.75 ERA have raised red flags for Seattle. On the other hand, George Kirby is also an option for this matter, but as Dipoto touched on, the team does not want to “overtax” him in his rookie campaign.
One solution to this dilemma could be Arizona Diamondbacks hurler Zach Davies, who so far sits at a 3.94 ERA in 80.0 innings pitched.
After a 2021 season that was one to forget, Davies has enjoyed sharp success under first-year Diamondbacks pitching coach Brent Strom. For one, he has rejuvenated his changeup, which comes following a season where opponents posted a 110 wRC+ and a .258 batting average against the pitch. Through 15 starts in the 2022 campaign, Davies has limited opponents to a 64 wRC+ and a .182 batting average with his changeup.
If Dipoto decides to scour the trade market for a low-cost innings eater, Davies, who is set to become a free agent later in the year, could be just that pitcher for the Mariners.
Alex Wood
It is currently up in the air as to whether the San Francisco Giants will choose to be sellers come Aug. 2. If they opt to throw in the towel on their campaign, Dipoto should look to haul in Alex Wood.
Unlike with Davies, Wood has another year left on his contract, as he is set to be owed $12.5 million next season. He signed off on a two-year with the Giants in the offseason.
Wood is not having stout success this year compared to his debut campaign with the Giants in the 2021 season. His ERA+ of 99 is a bit below last season’s mark (108). More so, he is not fooling opposing batters on his slider as much as he did so last season; he has notched a 13.9 percent swinging strike percentage on the pitch, which is lower than last year’s mark of 21.0 percent.
Nonetheless, the Mariners need a reliable innings eater who they can rely on for every fifth game. At this stage in his career, Wood certainly has what it takes to do just that.
In the big picture, Dipoto heads into the upcoming trade deadline with a mindset of simply being open to whatever may come his way.
“I’m open to anything, and I know we are organizationally open to anything that helps us get better adds impact,” Dipoto said. “There are potential opportunities, and we have to stay in tune with what they are.
“When you are in a position like we’re in, you have to be willing to consider everything.”
Dipoto sure is set to hold a multitude of options to provide the Mariners with a keen shot at making a long-awaited return to the playoffs.
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