Mariners' Loss to Dodgers Highlights Trade Deadline Needs

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Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Tommy Edman (25) tags out Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young (2) on an attempted steal during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images [/caption]

The M’s tried to build on their triumphant win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night but ultimately fell short, losing 4-2 after a late comeback was snuffed out by former Mariner closer Edwin Díaz in his return from injury.

Falling back down to earth, the Mariners played as they have all year. Fielding mistakes and an inability to hit left-handed pitching again plagued a roster talented enough to contend for a World Series. Against the defending champions, the Mariners struggled to match Los Angeles for most of the night.

With the MLB trade deadline less than a week away - unusually set for Aug. 3 - Wednesday’s game showed that Seattle needs to make some moves to go on a playoff run. Roster additions will help, but internal improvement remains just as important.

Struggles Against Lefties Return

The Mariners teed off in the opener of the series against Justin Wrobleski on Tuesday night, plating five runs against the Dodgers left-hander. It was a performance that instilled hope for the M’s that their yearlong struggles against southpaws were perhaps being mended. But they followed that up with a batting dud against southpaw Eric Lauer, who hurled six scoreless innings while only allowing one hit and one walk. 

The lineup appeared lifeless for the first seven innings until Cole Young drove in Weston Wilson on a sharp-hit single to left center. Dominic Canzone hit a ground-rule double in the ninth and Josh Naylor followed with an RBI double that just eluded Kyle Tucker's glove. Cal Raleigh had a couple deep flyouts and Mitch Garver got two feet away from making it a one-run game in the eighth, but the two runs was all the scoring the M’s would get.

After the second game of the series, Seattle dropped to 25th in all of baseball in terms of weighted runs created plus (wRC+) against lefties. They also own the second-worst batting average against lefties at .221 - only better than the also underperforming Toronto Blue Jays - while they rank third to last in slugging at a measly .347. 

Seattle has to improve with the bat and against lefties in particular. The eventual return of Brendan Donovan will drastically help against righties, but he has a career 88 wRC+ against lefties, showing again the need for a right-handed slugger.

Weston Wilson Not Permanent Option

Weston Wilson is the current weak side of the equation at third base, with J.P. Crawford nursing a wrist issue. Brought in to start against lefties, he has a below-average but tolerable .696 OPS against southpaws. However, his defensive miscues and baserunning gaffes have left more to be desired.

Playing third on Wednesday, he had multiple balls bounce out of his glove, allowing needed outs to slip away. In the third inning, with two men on and one out, Freddie Freeman hit a playable ball right to Wilson - but he dropped it and awkwardly fell over, allowing Shohei Ohtani to score from third. The fourth saw another ball hit in his remit, and though it was a more difficult play, Wilson got a bad jump on a grounder that should have been the third out and instead Mookie Betts scored from third.

If Seattle wants to maximize its postseason chances, it needs a more reliable option at third base. Donovan did show improvement over the course of his brief early stint with the team, but it’s perhaps an avenue to examine for Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto.

Emerson Hancock Maintains Trade Value

Hancock's line wasn't dominant, but allowing three runs over five innings against the Dodgers is a respectable outing. He allowed nine baserunners but was able to strike out five. Yet a few of those hits could have been prevented with better defense behind him.

Hancock’s name has been swirling in rumors leading up to the trade deadline, and barring a blowup in his start against the Dodgers, his value seems to be at an all-time high. Dipoto might be looking to trade the former first-round draft pick to remedy their lack of right-handed hitting and maybe add on another bullpen arm, though the same reasons that give him potential trade value also might make the Mariners more willing to keep him in Seattle.

Seattle has five starters ranked among FanGraphs' top 40 Cy Young projections: Logan Gilbert (No. 5), Bryan Woo (No. 20), George Kirby (No. 21), Emerson Hancock (No. 29) and Bryce Miller (No. 39). This algorithm is cumulative, making Miller's inclusion in the top 40 more impressive considering his time missed due to injury this year.

Hancock’s ranking as a top 30 pitcher in the American League, combined with his four years of remaining club control, should allow the M’s to receive quite the haul should they choose to move him.

Cole Young Continues to Shine as a Leadoff Hitter

Second baseman Cole Young’s phenomenal sophomore campaign continued apace on Wednesday night. Though snubbed from an All-Star Game appearance, he has been nothing if not consistent in 2026. In Wednesday’s game, he went 2 for 3, with two singles, a walk and an RBI. He was the only Mariner to reach base more than once.

In the 12 games since his All-Star snub, Young has posted a slash line of .282/.317/.487 for an above-average .804 OPS. He continues to lead all American League second baseman in Baseball Reference WAR (bWAR) at 3.6 and is third league-wide among second basemen in that category, though his 1.8 FanGraphs WAR (fWAR) - third among AL second basemen and 10th among all second basemen - is indicative of a wide gap between his defensive runs saved (DRS), where he is one of the best defenders in the game, and his fielding run value (FRV), which has him as a below-average infielder.

Thrust into the leadoff spot due to injuries to his veteran mentor J.P. Crawford, Young has run with the promotion. Given his recent uptick in production since the All-Star break, Young should have the opportunity to remain there until either Crawford or Brendan Donovan return to form and force a lineup decision.

On Deck:

Due to the initially-slated Bryce Miller apparently needing an extra day, Seattle will send starter Bryan Woo to the mound to face off against Roki Sasaki on Friday in the rubber match of the three game set before returning home for a three-game series against the surprisingly competitive Minnesota Twins before Monday's trade deadline.