My list to Santa: 3 unrealistic trades as a Seattle Mariners fan

Wish No. 2 – The Seattle Mariners trade for Josh Hader

I also feel like Josh Hader does not need much of an introduction. He is just plain filthy. If you have not seen him pitch before, I highly recommend that you watch some of his highlights. Hader has also been in some trade rumors which is sort of interesting because the Brewers aren’t all that bad.

The Brewers narrowly made the playoffs with a 29-31 record in 2020. But if you take a look at their roster, you would expect them to do a little better. It did not help that Christian Yelich struggled last season but I think his struggles may continue. That being said, the Brewers are not quite good enough to win a World Series, but they are not so bad that they finish in last place.

Sounds a little like the Mariners right? So, I think the Brewers are on the verge of rebuilding and Hader could be a part of the unloading. Another reason why I think Hader will be on the move is the emergence of Devin Williams, who just won NL Rookie of the Year. He was absolutely nasty, so the Brewers won’t be needing Hader’s services.

So, let’s do an imaginary trade for Hader.

Trade idea No. 1

The Brewers farm system was ranked as one of the worst in 2020. Milwaukee was the 29th ranked farm system and only has one player in the Top 100 prospects list. By the way, the Mariners had six in the Top 100 when the list was created in September 2020.

So, I propose that the Brewers receive Taylor Trammell, Tim Elliott, and a player to be named later (someone not in the Top 30 list). Trammell is the Mariners’ 5th ranked prospect and has a really cool set of skillsets. As much as I like him, it is not entirely clear how he will fit into the crowded Mariners outfield. He would be the centerpiece of the return to the Brewers.

I also added Tim Elliott who pitched pretty well in the instructional league and is looking like a solid prospect. He is the 25th ranked prospect. I tried to form this trade like the James Paxton trade where we acquired Justus Sheffield and two other low-end prospects.

Relief pitchers usually don’t require too much of a return anyway, so a trade of this nature is fair in my opinion. The last two prospects could be substituted for someone else, but the important part is sending back a really good prospect near the top of the Mariners’ list of prospects.

Last but not least, let’s examine a trade for the Boston Red Sox slugger.