The Seattle Mariners have been labeled as a prime trade destination for New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, and with the July 30 MLB trade deadline inching closer and closer, Alonso trade speculation will continue to grow.
But could the Mariners employ an interesting strategy in their potential attempt to swing a deal for Alonso?
Seattle is a bit thin on financial sources, so the Mariners could ultimately ask the Mets to pay some—or all—of Alonso's $20.5 million salary this season, via ESPN's Buster Olney.
New York is certainly familiar with this practice, as Steve Cohen's club did it last year when it trade starting pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. So, the Mets may not be entirely opposed to doing it again for Alonso if Seattle's trade package is to their liking.
Picking up a player's salary would also stand a chance of bettering the return haul, so New York may actually like this idea.
The Mariners need a bat like Pete Alonso's
The Mariners are in first place in the AL West, but it's certainly not because of their offense.
Seattle ranks 28th in the majors in batting average and 24th in OPS and runs scored. Currently, Ty France is the Mariners' first baseman and owns a rather pedestrian slash line of .251/.329/.403 with seven home runs and 27 RBI. He also just hit the 10-day injured list due to a hairline fracture in his heel.
Obviously, Seattle can use a bat like Alonso's in its lineup. He wouldn't instantly solve all of the club's offensive ills, but he would certainly help. Alonso is slashing .240/.321/.476 with 14 homers and 32 RBI across 277 plate appearances in 2024.
The catch with Alonso is that he will be a free agent at the end of the season, which is why there is a strong belief that the Mets will move him.
Would the Mariners be willing to part with a substantial package for a player who may very well walk at the end of the year? Alonso turned down a $158 million contract extension from New York last year and may very well land a deal worth considerably north of $200 million in free agency. Seattle ranks 17th in the MLB in payroll and is typically not a franchise that spends big money, so it seems somewhat doubtful that the M's would sink significant funds into Alonso next winter.
Still, for a franchise that has made just one playoff appearance since 2002, the Mariners may be desperate.
Seattle has a terrific pitching staff, as it ranks eighth in the majors in ERA. All five of the starters currently in the Mariners' rotation have ERAs under 4. The team's bullpen could use some help, and that is something the front office could explore at the deadline. But clearly, the biggest need for Seattle is offense.
Alonso has smashed at least 40 home runs in each of the last two seasons, and in 2022, he led the majors with 131 RBI. He hit a career-high 53 long balls during his rookie campaign back in 2019 and owns a lifetime slash line of .250/.340/.523.
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