A Static Trade Deadline Would Doom Mariners in Crowded AL West
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Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Taylor Ward (3) grounds into a force out and is safe at first during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images [/caption]
The Major League Baseball season is the most unique of any pro sports season. It’s not a 17-game sprint where every game feels like a massive chapter in the story. It’s not even 82 games, with breaks in between games sprinkled throughout the week. It’s a constant onslaught. It’s a marathon, if a marathon was a constant barrage of guys trying to throw a 100 miles per hour past you before you can hit it, day-in, and day-out.
Right now, the Seattle Mariners are in the middle of the pack in this long race towards October. They have yet to separate themselves from their fellow racers. On the flip side, their competitors have yet to hit the accelerator either. The big question is: how long will that last?
The Mariners can’t afford to wait around and find out. If this is truly who they are, that is a .500 club, that’s not going to be good enough when the regular season reaches the finish line. One of the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers will likely make a run to surpass them if they keep this mediocre pace.
Still, the Mariners are the only AL West team with a positive run differential (+17). That’s 47 runs better than the first place Texas Rangers. But overall, the team at times looks uninspired.
The core issue is offense. Fans have waited all season for it to get going and it just has not. In the month of July, the Mariners rank 29th, second-to-last, in team OPS, 26th in wRC+, and 25th in home runs. They have been one of the worst offenses in baseball over the last month and frankly, most of this season.
Sure, a lot of that is due to Cal Raleigh (.573 OPS) and Josh Naylor (.682 OPS) being two of the biggest bats in the lineup who have not gotten out of the holes they dug themselves early on. Injuries to Brendan Donovan, Raleigh, and Julio Rodriguez have interrupted the flow of the lineup. It’s hard to imagine the Mariners winning playoff games, even if they trade for additional bats, if those names don’t get going.
Still, Seiya Suzuki of the Cubs and Taylor Ward from Baltimore are two bats that would fit perfectly into this lineup if they want to add some pieces that could help spark Raleigh and the rest of the crew.
The bullpen has not been perfect either. Matt Brash has battled injuries all season. Carlos Vargas hasn’t even thrown a pitch yet. Closer Andres Muñoz has had an uneven season with a 3.96 ERA and five blown saves. Will they be in the Mason Miller sweepstakes, trying to get the fire breathing closer from the Padres? If not, could another reliever like Andrew Kittredge or Antonio Senzatela be in play?
Whatever happens ahead of the trade deadline on August 3, the Mariners need to be heavily involved. This team, as it stands, is not good enough. If Seattle’s brass don’t improve the roster in a significant way, they might get left behind in the AL West. Seattle has the firepower in prospects to make almost any trade they desire, if willing to actually part with some players from the farm system.
The Rangers and Astros could also make moves, making it all the more imperative that Jerry Dipoto works the phones. Both of those teams are salivating, watching the Mariners flounder in the division and not taking control. Whoever has the best trade deadline of those three teams may end up being the division champion.
