The Seattle Mariners have had a solid 2024 campaign to this point. They are sitting atop the AL West with a record of 47-37. The improved play of the Houston Astros has cut the gap, but the Mariners still hold a 5.5-game lead.
As a result, they should be one of the teams who aggressively pursue upgrades ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline. Who could they look to target?
In the opinion of Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Seattle Mariners have some clear needs on the roster. Upgrading on offense is a must, which makes New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso the best fit for them.
“Deep down, the Mets are grimacing at their recent run of success. They’re too inconsistent to warrant adding players at the deadline if the cost is in prospect capital, and they’re good enough that divesting themselves of a player such as Alonso would send a bad message to their woebegone fan base.
For Seattle, Alonso would represent the middle-of-the-order bopper its current lineup currently lacks — and desperately needs. So if it’s not Alonso, perhaps Tampa Bay third baseman Isaac Paredes. And if not Alonso or Paredes, Angels outfielder Taylor Ward or Detroit outfielder Mark Canha qualify. The point: Seattle’s pitching warrants the team’s brain trust making an aggressive play before July 30, even if it’s not for Alonso. If it is, there are plenty of DH at-bats going to waste for Seattle, which could entice New York with a far better return than the fourth-round draft pick they’re set to receive if Alonso leaves in free agency this winter,” wrote Passan.
It is hard to imagine the Mets being sellers ahead of the deadline at this point. A few weeks ago they looked dead in the water, but they have been the best team in baseball over the last month or so.
Over the .500 mark for the first time since May 2nd, they are squarely in the mix for a playoff spot in the National League. As a result, the Seattle Mariners will have to pivot elsewhere for offensive help.
Out of the players who Passan mentioned, Taylor Ward would likely be the toughest to acquire. It is hard to imagine the Los Angeles Angels wanting to help a division rival build an even bigger gap between them.
Isaac Parades of the Tampa Bay Rays could be tough to acquire as well with the team hovering around the .500 mark. Mark Canha could be the ideal trade target as the Detroit Tigers are eight games out of the playoffs and the likeliest sellers of any teams Passan mentioned.
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