The Seattle Mariners have been the best team in the AL West all season, but lag behind the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles in the American League. With the MLB trade deadline approaching, the Mariners have an opportunity to close the gap this summer.
There are a lot of things the Mariners do well, which is why they sit so high in the MLB standings. Heading into MLB games today, Seattle led the majors in quality starts (47), leads the league in WHIP), boasts the second-best batting average allowed (.218) and the seventh-best ERA (3.51). However, the Mariners lineup has cost them several games this year.
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Through 78 games, the Mariners lineup ranks 29th in batting average (.219), 25th in runs scored (301) and OBP (.299) and sits 24th in slugging (.368). There have also been minimal signs of improvement, with Seattle’s OPS since May 19 (.656) ranked 25th.
Some of this was easy to see coming. Uncertainty with future revenue from TV rights had a massive influence on the Mariners’ offseason spending. Slashing the Mariners payroll became a greater priority, resulting in the run production that has hampered Seattle at times in 2024. It’s left many fans wondering if there will be that same effect on how the front office approaches the MLB trade deadline.
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The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney report that the Mariners are planning to be aggressive ahead of the MLB trade deadline in July. Not only does Seattle’s front office have the green light to pursue trades as buyers, but it also doesn’t come with any financial restrictions on how much payroll is added.
The approach opens the door for Seattle to potentially pursue a Pete Alonso trade or it could go after other top MLB trade candidates like Luis Robert, Taylor Ward, or another impact bat. Most importantly, the latest Mariners rumors all hint that the front office will be aggressive this summer.
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