Seattle Mariners: 5 Trade Target from Diamondbacks Rebuild

It appears the Arizona Diamondbacks are ready to rebuild, at least in some regard. Today, we look for a match between the rebuilding team, and the team that refuses to rebuild, the Seattle Mariners.

The initial report of the Diamondbacks came as a bit of a shock to most fans. But shortly after the smoke cleared, Mariners fans everywhere scrambled to identify what part of the wreckage they wanted to scavenge. The report came from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale:

So like you, we couldn’t help but think of the possibilities this news means for the Mariners. So today, we take a look at 5 players who may just make some sense for GM Jerry Dipoto to inquire about.

First things first, Paul Goldschmidt will not be on the list. The superstar has just 1-year left on his contract, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Seattle could actually afford him. However, the freight required to acquire Goldschmidt could be so costly it may derail the season before it even begins.

With that in mind, let’s look at 5 names that might just make some sense for the Mariners

Zack Greinke

Let’s get the big name out of the way. Zack Greinke, the soon-to-be 35-year-old RHP, is 3 years into his 6 years, $206 million contract. With 3 years and $103 million remaining, the cost to acquire Greinke may be totally dependent on how much money Arizona is willing to send with Greinke.

Still a very good pitcher, Greinke probably doesn’t fall into the “ace” category. His velocity has dropped from an average of 92.2 mph in 2016 to 90.0 mph in 2018. Greinke has also seen his HR/FB steadily climb over the past 3 years.

However, Greinke has continued to grow as a pitcher and has the pinpoint control and the plus curveball and changeup to still miss bats. His 3.44 xFIP and 3.5 fWAR in 2018 show a rock solid #2 starter.

If the Mariners can get Greinke’s AAV (average annual value) down into the $20 million range, there isn’t a player in their system that shouldn’t be available, aside from maybe Mitch Haniger. However, if Greinke’s AAV drops too low, Seattle will likely get outbid by a prospect-rich team.

The Mariners best chance to land him will likely require them taking on nearly most of Greinke’s deal. With the assumed self-imposed salary constraints of the Mariners ownership, the likelihood of this coming to fruition is exceedingly low.

Proposal: Zack Greinke and $20 million for Kyle Lewis, Matt Festa, and Julio Rodriguez. Likelihood of a deal: 2/10

David Peralta

Next, on our list, we will take a look at outfielder David Peralta. Coming off a breakout season of clubbing 30 homers and slashing .292/.352/.516, the 31-year-old will be a popular trade target for a lot of teams.

Due to earn roughly $7.7 million in arbitration in 2019, Peralta is a terrific bargain IF he can repeat his output away from Chase Field. Whether or not he can is up for debate. At the hitter-friendly confines of Chase Field, Peralta posted a 161 wRC+ and a .988 OPS. On the road, he posted a league average 100 wRC+ and a .750 OPS.

Peralta is also a bit of a platoon player. In 2018, Peralta bashed RHP to a tune of .318/.377/.568 and a 150 wRC+. Against LHP, he slashed just .237/.294/.399 with a 86 wRC+.

Overall, Peralta is an average defender and slightly above-average base-runner. He puts the ball in play at an above-average pace and takes a decent number of walks. 2018 may be a mirage, but if Peralta could post his 2017 slash line of .293/.352/.444, it could be a decent upgrade in LF over Ben Gamel.

However, Peralta and Gamel may not be significantly different in terms of value, making a deal for the LHH unlikely.

Proposal: David Peralta for Ben Gamel and Matt Fest

Likelihood of a deal: 5/10

Zack Godley

Yes, the Mariners need another starting pitcher. Yes, I sound like a broken record. But it doesn’t make the statement any less true. Godley will turn 29-years-old in late April, but still has 4 years of club control remaining. As we all know, Dipoto covets club-control, which could make him the most likely player to find his way to Seattle.

However, club-control doesn’t necessarily mean valuable. In 32 starts in 2018, Godley was pretty good. His 4.74 ERA doesn’t jump off the page, but he did post a solid 3.96 xFIP while striking out more than a batter per inning (9.34 K/9).

On top of that, Godley is an extreme groundball pitcher, posting a career 51.6% GB rate. So how could the Mariners even afford to ask about a guy like this? Well, for starters, he has shown iffy, at best, command. His 4.09 BB/9 are a scary number, and he’s never had pinpoint command to begin with.

In addition, Godley has reached his ceiling already, and it’s just that of a #4 or #5 starter. Combined with his age, Godley’s market may be suppressed enough to allow Dipoto to get in on the conversation.

Godley probably slots into the #5 slot in the rotation but is no guarantee to be better than incumbent Wade LeBlanc. He may, however, be an alternative to Sonny Gray, who we expect to be a trade target of Jerry Dipoto’s.

Proposal: Zack Godley for Evan White

Likelihood of a deal: 4/10

Robbie Ray

Okay. Full disclosure: I love Robbie Ray. A lot. And now we learn he may be available? Oh heck yes. Ray is a 27-year-old LHP with 2 years of club control remaining projected to earn $6.1 million in arbitration this off-season.

Ray has more or less been a breakout candidate for each of the past 3 seasons. While he has shown extended flashes, he has never quite put all of his tools together for the entirety of the season. 2018 was a step back for Ray, who battled an injury early in the year that cost him 2 months of the season.

Despite the injury, Robbie Ray still posted solid numbers for the D-Backs, including a 3.77 xFIP and a 12.01 K/9. However, Ray’s already spotty command took a step back in 2018, averaging over 5 walks per 9 innings pitched. Ray’s career mark hovers around 3.8 BB/9, so his command will lower his value.

Ray’s 93-95 MPH fastball is a good pitch, but his bread and butter is his wipe away slider. Ray abandoned his mediocre changeup in 2018, instead opting to throw more curveballs. The pitch grades at well above-average, giving Ray 3 legitimate offerings.

Unless he can find the control that he has always lacked, Ray’s upside will likely be limited to that of a #3 type of starter. Ray also has a history of missing time, only posting more than 162 innings once. However, Ray has been durable enough to make at least 23 starts a year each of the past 4 years.

With Ray’s upside limited, the Mariners may just be able to sneak into a bidding war and win Ray right out from under other pitcher needy teams.

Proposal: Robbie Ray for Kyle Lewis, Ben Gamel, and Juan Querecuto

Likelihood of a deal: 5/10