Trade-a-Day: 5 relievers the Seattle Mariners should trade for

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 17: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Detroit Tigers is pulled by manager Manager Ron Gardenhire #15 of the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on April 17, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The Pirates defeated the Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 17: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Detroit Tigers is pulled by manager Manager Ron Gardenhire #15 of the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on April 17, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. The Pirates defeated the Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /
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PHOENIX, AZ – APRIL 12: Gerardo Reyes #64 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of an MLB game at Chase Field on April 12, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – APRIL 12: Gerardo Reyes #64 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of an MLB game at Chase Field on April 12, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) /

If Robert Stephenson is Matt Wisler 2.0, then Gerardo Reyes is Gerson Bautista 2.0. Reyes throws incredibly hard but can’t locate worth a lick, which has helped him post a beautiful 13.21 K/9 and an equally ugly 5.17 BB/9 through his scattered 15.2 innings of work this season. Those walk issues are not limited to his MLB action, however, as he hasn’t posted a BB/9 under 3.00 since rookie ball in 2014.

The arm is real, as it consistently hits 97 with the potential of triple digits, but the command and control issues are as well. If⁠—and it’s a big ‘if’⁠—the Mariners can help him hone his arm, there’s no reason to think that Reyes couldn’t develop into a high-leverage reliever with that kind of fire power.

Reyes still has several minor league options, so it’s not like the Padres have their hands tied on what to do with him. But he’s 26 and keeps bouncing in between the MLB and Triple-A and has shown no signs of shaking his wild status, so if the Mariners were to come calling with some sort of offer, it’d probably be fairly easy to get him.