Seattle Mariners: 4 Under-the-Radar Offseason Trade Targets

INF JEDD GYORKO

It’s our third NL Central player in a row! This one is a bit interesting considering that Jedd Gyorko is neither a bounce-back candidate, nor is he even expendable to the Cardinals… yet. It feels like only a matter of time before Josh Donaldson calls St. Louis home, which would leave Gyorko on the outside-looking-in to a crowded infield. Pair that with the emergence of Patrick Wisdom, paying $13 million for a fifth or sixth infielder isn’t ideal even for a team with the payroll flexibility St. Louis has put on display.

One of Seattle’s biggest issues in 2018 was a lack of offensive depth, offering little-to-no options to pick up the slack from Kyle Seager and Dee Gordon‘s ineptitude at the plate. Gyorko wouldn’t be a bench piece on the Mariners, however, but he would allow the likes of Ryon Healy to serve in a more supplementary role.

In my mind, to achieve the most viable lineup on a consistent basis would be to find a second baseman better suited to hit than Gordon, and move Robinson Canó to first base full-time. Gyorko also offers the flexibility to give Seager and Jean Segura a blow every now and then. This would also allow the Mariners to move Gordon back to center field, or attempt to shave off some of his salary from their payroll in a trade.

What ultimately makes a Gyorko acquisition unlikely, however, is that $13 million salary and how his availability hinges upon hypotheticals. In the event that the Cardinals do sign Donaldson this offseason, there’s still no guarantee that Gyorko suddenly finds himself on the block. St. Louis might not be entirely stoked about what they would have to pay Gyorko in such a limited role, but they may decide to just bite the bullet if they can’t find the right deal for him.

So, in essence, Gyorko’s inclusion on this list is more about the idea of targeting second basemen than about Gyorko himself. To justify acquiring Gyorko and his relatively large salary for a player of his capabilities, the M’s would likely have to find some sort of miracle deal that eliminates most of Dee Gordon’s salary from their books. That’s probably not going to happen.

Still, he’s someone that should be available at some point this offseason and he fits the profile that Jerry Dipoto is often attracted to. At the very least, it’s something to stick in the back of your mind.