Why Alex Rios Needs To Be The Next Right Fielder For The Seattle Mariners

Endy Chavez: .266/.280/.380 … 5 doubles, 2 triples, 0 home runs, 6 RBI, 2 walks, 7 Ks.

Michael Saunders: .265/.313/.429 … 6 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, 23 RBI, 12 walks, 35 Ks.

Cole Gillespie: .250/.311/.324 … 2 doubles, 0 triples, 1 home runs, 5 RBI, 6 walks, 13 Ks.

Logan Morrison: .225/.291/.423 … 2 doubles, 0 triples, 4 home runs, 10 RBI, 7 walks, 16 Ks.

Corey Hart: .209/.295/.353 … 5 doubles, 0 triples, 5 home runs, 17 RBI, 11 walks, 31 Ks.

Stefen Romero: .200/.240/.331 … 6 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 11 RBI, 4 walks, 40 Ks.

Nick Franklin: .128/.192/.170 … 0 doubles, 1 triple, 0 home runs, 2 RBI, 3 walks, 21 Ks.

These are all of the players that have spent time in right field for the Mariners this season. Not a single one is batting over .266, Gillespie and Saunders are the only two with OBP over .300, and Morrison and Saunders are the only two slugging over .400.

From a traditionally offensive-minded position in the corner outfield, this is not what the Mariners need to make a run at the playoffs.

They need Alex Rios, right fielder for the rival Texas Rangers, a professional right-handed hitter.

Let’s take this in 3 steps:

1. Why would the Rangers want to part ways with Rios?

The Rangers are 35-43, 4th in the AL West. Their run differential is -62, the second WORST differential in the Majors ahead of only the Arizona Diamondbacks. Yes, that’s right, the Houston Astros have a better differential then the perennial playoff Rangers.

All that really means is the Rangers are unlikely to be making any real legitimate push towards the playoffs this season. With that, it only makes sense to get some value out of a player with only a 2015 team option left on his contract. Yes, Rios is one of the few buoys keeping the Rangers afloat– along with Adrian Beltre— but what good is a 81-win finish to a 74-win finish if you aren’t making the playoffs either way?

The Rangers could net some value for their club by trading Rios.