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Bryce Harper: Could The Mariners Pull Off A Blockbuster Trade?
Oct 4, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (left) walks off the field with first baseman
Adam LaRoche(25) after the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants in game two of the 2014 NLDS playoff baseball game at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY Sports
In 2014, Bryce Harper hit .273/.344/.423 with 13 home runs and 32 RBI; he only played in 100 games while being sidelined with injuries.
Ian Desmond, 29, played solid defense at short and hit .255/.313/.430 with 24 home runs and 94 RBI in 154 games. Though he doesn’t walk much and he strikes out a lot, Desmond would be an instant offensive upgrade.
Jordan Zimmermann, 28, is a veritable ace as he finished 5th in the Cy Young voting in 2014. He had a 2.66 ERA with a 14-5 record, striking out 182 while walking only 29 batters.
Both Desmond and Zimmermann will be free agents after the 2015 season.
If the Seattle Mariners really want to win now, getting these three guys in a trade would easily make them AL favorites to make the World Series.
But what would the Mariners have to give up? A lot, to say the least.
The deal would need to include a shortstop: Brad Miller. It would also necessitate a starting pitcher: Taijuan Walker. Then, a hitter like D.J. Peterson.
On top of those three, the M’s would likely have to give up short stop/second baseman Ketel Marte and possibly the recently acquired J.A. Happ.
So, with all those pieces moving, this is what the deal would look like:
The Washington Nationals send OF Bryce Harper, SS Ian Desmond, and SP Jordan Zimmermann to the Seattle Mariners for SP Taijuan Walker, SS Brad Miller, 3B D.J. Peterson, SS/2B Ketel Marte, and SP J.A. Happ.
The Mariners could also insist on having a 48-72 hour window in which they could extend a contract extension to Zimmermann before the deal.
With this trade, the Mariners would look like this in 2015:
Lineup:
Bryce Harper 9
Nelson Cruz DH
Kyle Seager 5
Ian Desmond 6
Rotation:
Jordan Zimmermann
Tell me that roster wouldn’t be deadly. Sure, this sort of trade may be a stretch, but isn’t this the perfect storm for the Mariners to go out and with the 2015 World Series? Crazier trades have happened. Do you think the Mariners have the desire and the gall to pull it off?