Seattle Mariners fans hoping for a blockbuster trade to put offensive talent around Cal Raleigh will be disappointed.
As Raleigh carries Seattle’s offense with an MLB-leading 32 home runs and 69 RBI heading into Friday night’s game against the Texas Rangers, the team needs to fill holes at first base, third base and right field, along with adding a high-leverage reliever.
But Mariners fans shouldn’t expect a big name. In an interview on Sportsnaut’s “Big League Buzz” podcast, Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Phillips doesn’t see Seattle being able to acquire a marquee player at the deadline.
“I don’t think they’re gonna be able to be out there for the top-level guys,” Phillips explained. “I just don’t think they have the prospect capital that others do.”
The Mariners have nine prospects on MLB.com’s top 100 list, but the highest is Colt Emerson at No. 16 while everyone else ranks between 31 and 89.
Listen & subscribe to the Big League Buzz MLB podcast from Sportsnaut. This week’s guest is Ryan Phillips from Sports Illustrated.
“The prices are gonna be very high for everybody and the Mariners, as far as prospect capital, they have some but they don’t have what some other teams have so I think what they’re gonna have to do is see how close they are and then start to work around the margins and get, you know, not bench bats but guys that are a little lower on the totem pole,” Phillips said.
The Mariners are currently 6.5 games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the American League West, but hold the final AL Wild Card spot. Seattle missed the playoffs by one game in 2024 and haven’t reached the postseason since 2023. It’s fair to say that Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry DiPoto is on the hot seat.
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