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The Seattle Mariners are in need of a left-handed bat, and Kyle Schwarber from the Chicago Cubs could be available
The Seattle Mariners are relatively right-handed heavy in the lineup. The notable right-handed hitters include Kyle Lewis, Evan White, Mitch Haniger, Tom Murphy, Dylan Moore, and Ty France. That being said, another area of focus for Jerry Dipoto is expected to be a left-handed power bat. As I said earlier in the Javier Baez pitch, the Mariners were really bad at scoring runs and hitting home runs. The Chicago Cubs still have Kyle Schwarber who has been decent for the Cubs and can definitely hit some moonshots.
Joel Sherman reporting on MLB Network the #Mariners are interested in adding a left-handed bat to supplement their RHH lineup. Names thrown around: Kolton Wong, Tommy La Stella, Kole Calhoun.
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) November 16, 2020
A name I'd watch? Cubs LF Kyle Schwarber.
Kyle Schwarber has another year of arbitration eligibility this offseason and will be a free agent after that. Just like Baez, Schwarber is also in a spot where the Cubs need to quickly decide whether he is a part of the future plan. And as of now, it does not seem like it. Schwarber will be turning 28-years-old in March and has not been good enough for the Cubs where they should keep him any longer.
This seems like an ideal time to trade a barely above average player this offseason, and the Seattle Mariners should be in contact for his services. Schwarber will not be an ideal defensive asset, but he could fit nicely in the designated hitter spot which no one has really claimed yet for 2021 in Seattle. Schwarber hit a career-best 38 home runs in 2019 and drove in 92 runs while batting .250. That is a solid statline that will gain the attention of several teams.
The former first-round pick has not quite reached his full potential in my mind, and I think he could benefit from a change in scenery. He was once a highly touted Cubs prospect but turned out to be okay, and fans were not happy. I think this is a great time for the Seattle Mariners to give him a chance to redeem his 2019 season performance after a bad 2020 where he hit below .200.
Schwarber could be another attempt at a Daniel Vogelbach experiment which ended poorly. Kyle Schwarber has a lot of pop from the left side of the plate, and he does a good job of getting on base. Even with his .188 batting average in 2020, he was able to draw plenty of walks to bump up his OBP to .308. Schwarber may be another affordable trade asset from the Cubs because he does not have a long term contract yet.
That being said, Jerry Dipoto would want to ensure Schwarber at least has an interest in signing an extension with Seattle to make sure a trade with the Cubs is not just a useless rental. Schwarber will be 28-years-old in 2021 so I am sure he wants a 4-5-year deal with somebody if a team wants to keep him. The Seattle Mariners are still in somewhat of a pilot mode while another pack of rookies joins the big league team in 2021.