Mariners Trade Rumors: All The Latest

Not a lot to report on trade rumors when it comes to the Mariners. Joel Sherman, of the New York Post had this to report at  http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/07/sherman-on-papelbon-duda-mariners.html

Seattle Mariners have been linked to talks with the Tampa Bay Rays for David Price for some time now, though one scout says he doesn’t know why the Mariners are looking to add another top pitcher when it is hitting that is the problem.

Jack Zduriencik was quoted saying, that “it’s all about caliber of players when looking at a trade.” He continued to say that ‘if you have the opportunity to add a “Grade A” player in Price, and the only hitters that are available are “C-plus hitters” you are better off adding the Grade A player.”

More from Mariners Rumors

• Could the Mariners Acquire AL Batting Champion, Luis Arraez?
• How the Mariners could swing a trade for Fernando Tatis Jr
• What it would take for the Mariners to trade for Randy Arozarena
• Mariners News: Everything from Day One of the Winter Meetings
• Is Xander Bogaerts Still An Option For The Seattle Mariners?

The player being linked in the trade with the Rays is Taijuan Walker. Taijuan is a 21 year old pitcher out of Yucaipa High School who was drafted by the Mariners in the first round in 2010.

He made his MLB debut last season against the Houston Astros in a winning effort, going 5 inning with 2 hits and 2 strike outs.

A lot of people think that Taijuan can be the next best thing in the Majors but after an injury set him back, he has struggled to live up to those expectations. In 6 starts at the Major League level, he has accumulated a 2-2 record throwing 30 innings with 26 strike outs, 17 walks, and 12 earned runs.

If the Mariners happened to add David Price in a rotation with Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, it would easily be the best starting rotation in baseball. Pitching clearly isnt the problem with the Mariners.

According to Geoff Baker, of the Seattle Times, the Mariners have scored the least amount of runs in the month of July with 62, with the next team scoring 70.

The Mariners have 6 players with an On Base Percentage of under .288 in the month of July, Endy Chavez, Logan Morrison, Mike Zunino, Corey Hart. James Jones, and Brad Miller.

The Mariners need to look more at adding a power hitting bat to counter act the failed attempt of Corey Hart and Logan Morrison. However, adding a pitcher to an already great pitching staff would make it hard for the opposing teams to score.

With James Paxton set to return in a week or two, getting rid of one of our pitching prospects wouldn’t hurt. If a trade happens, the Mariners should trade Walker for a bat, something that the Mariners drastically need.