ARLINGTON -- For all their struggles in what’s been one of their toughest stretches of this era, the Mariners do still have a Trade Deadline to work with. And it’s right around the corner, one week from Monday. The Deadline has been one of the most effective roster-building measures of this front office, how a handful of cornerstone pieces have been acquired and, in 2022 and '25, an inflection point that helped push the club to the postseason. The point being, an opportunity is out there for a struggling team to get better. Yet, what’s been clear this whole summer is how unclear this market is shaping up. But it’s also clear that the Mariners will do something. “I said it coming out of the All-Star break, we all need to be better,” president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said this weekend at Globe Life Field. “For all of us, it just has to pick up, because if we continue to play the way we're playing, we're not going anywhere. “We can continue to be confident about the talent on this roster. But at some time, we have to stir the talent up and try to get it moving in the right direction.” |
Seattle’s needs have been clear and unchanged for most of the past few months -- for a right-handed bat and at least one righty reliever, preferably one who's proven and who can miss bats. To acquire that talent, the Mariners have been more open than ever to dealing from their rotation to address those needs, sources across the league have indicated. The name that’s generated the most buzz over the past week has been George Kirby, and for understandable reasons. He’d be a No. 1 starter in many rotations, might have the highest ceiling of their entire staff, is under club control for two more seasons and, among their young arms, is probably the least likely that the club could sign to an extension before free agency. But the Mariners do not intend to move him, multiple sources with knowledge of the club’s trade discussions have said. The same goes for Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Logan Gilbert, the latter of whose free agency is rapidly approaching, after next season. Seattle is, however, actively listening on Luis Castillo and Emerson Hancock, industry sources have said. And there’s a growing possibility that at least one of them will be moved before next Monday. |
Castillo would be the preference but presents the more complicated situation of the two. He’s owed about $32.5 million through next year and has a $25 million vesting option for 2028 if he reaches 180 innings in '27. Moreover, many of the on-paper fits are big-market clubs that are approaching or beyond the competitive balance tax threshold, meaning that his contract becomes even more exacerbated. Basically, even if the Mariners were open to eating some of that money -- which they would be for a legitimate return -- it might not move the needle enough for teams with CBT implications. There’s also the fact that Castillo turns 34 in December. Hancock, meanwhile, fits virtually any team seeking a starter. He’s 27, earning league minimum (just under $800,000), under club control through 2030 and in the midst of a breakout season. His trade value, especially in what’s shaping up to be an extreme seller’s market, might never be higher. Subtracting one of these two would represent a shift in organizational philosophy, as the Mariners have adamantly not wanted to trade from the backbone of how their team has been built. Yet, they are also anticipating a permanent arrival of Kade Anderson next year, and likely a temporary one over this season’s final two months. Ryan Sloan is further behind, but he’s also a huge part of the club’s long-term plans. They are MLB Pipeline’s No. 5 and No. 8 overall prospects, respectively. Perhaps just as much -- as parting ways with assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes suggested -- the Mariners appear willing to take aggressive measures to salvage this season. “We've spent two years adding legitimate personnel to our roster, and still we find ourselves in this position,” Dipoto said. “We've not played to the ability or the top end of what this roster is capable of. And we don't need our players to have career years to get where we want to go. But we do need them to contribute. And that's not been the case.” |
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Given the trying state of where Seattle sits, and for how badly it needed one big moment, a case could be made that Sunday's win was among the club's biggest. And it was sparked by Dominic Canzone, who hit a massive, 400-foot homer that left his bat at 111 mph and reached the second deck. |
The sentiment within the clubhouse was shock. Julio Rodríguez, Canzone and J.P. Crawford all said as much, as each was close with Magallanes and disappointed that the season reached a tipping point that made the coach a casualty. The front office’s decision had been brewing for about a week, sparked after a 7-0 loss to the Giants coming out of the All-Star break. That came after a 1-5 road trip through Florida and before consecutive losses to Cincinnati that ended last week’s homestand. Dipoto said multiple times that the move was more about shaking things up than an indictment on Magallanes. “I'm not trying to scapegoat Bobby,” Dipoto said. “We had internal discussion on what we could do that wouldn't create absolute disarray, that could turn some dials with a team that really needs a dial turn. We're not playing well. And there are consequences to not playing well. And we have to figure out how to get better. And this is, I hope, a move that pushes us in that direction.” |
There are quite a few highlights for next year’s 162-game slate, which MLB released last week: • Opening Day: March 25 vs. Red Sox • Going on the road: Fans looking for weekend getaways will have plenty of good ones to choose from -- in Toronto (April 2-4), Chicago (May 7-9 at Wrigley Field then May 28-30 at Rate Field), San Diego (July 16-18), Minnesota (Aug. 20-22) and Boston (Sept. 3-5). • Finishing the year in California: If they’re in a playoff race, the Mariners will be making that late push in Anaheim (Sept. 21-23) then West Sacramento (Sept. 24-26) |
50 Seasons Celebration Weekend • Aug. 7 -- Alumni Home Run Derby Night presented by Muckleshoot Casino Resort: Don’t miss an epic postgame competition as Ichiro and more swing for the fences. Buy Tickets » • Aug. 8 -- 50 Seasons Celebration Night presented by Daktronics: Witness the most iconic gathering of franchise greats as the Top 50 Mariners Players are unveiled and honored at T-Mobile Park. Buy Tickets » • Aug. 9 -- 50 Seasons Pin Day presented by KeyBank: As part of this season's collectible pin series, the first 10,000 fans will score a 50 Seasons Pin to add to their collection. Buy Tickets » Mariners Suites Are you planning an event this summer? Check out a Mariners Suite. The perfect venue for all kinds of events, from birthday parties and family celebrations to client meetings and company outings. Enjoy customizable set-ups, first-class catering and private entry & parking. Book now at Mariners.com/Suites. |
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