Could Josh Harrison be an option for the Seattle Mariners?

The Seattle Mariners are currently exceeding expectations and are even considering bolstering its roster at the deadline. Areas of focus include its starting pitching and infield. That being said, would Josh Harrison of the Washington Nationals fit the mold?

Should the Seattle Mariners give the Nationals a call for Josh Harrison?

I first saw Josh Harrison’s name on MLB Trade Rumors (so kudos to them) and it makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Although Harrison will be a free agent at the end of the season, he probably wouldn’t cost the Seattle Mariners a whole lot to acquire him.

According to Baseball Trade Values, they have him at a 2.5 median trade value which seems pretty accurate. The Nationals signed him to a one-year deal and it has worked out pretty well.

J Hay currently owns a .282 batting average, alongside a .756 OPS. He also owns a 1.9 WAR this season. Harrison is now 34-years-old and isn’t necessarily playing like an All-Star like he was in 2014 and 2017, but he’s putting up solid numbers.

From a Seattle Mariners perspective, his numbers would be a major upgrade at second base. As much as I love Dylan Moore and his potential, things haven’t been going so well this season. I am not saying we should let Moore loose, but it might be worth keeping him on the bench more often.

Josh Harrison also provides a lot of defensive versatility. Much like Moore, J Hay is a utility player and has played third, second, shortstop, and outfield in his career. Although he hasn’t stolen as many bases as he did during his peak Pirates days, he still is pretty quick.

So what would a trade for Josh Harrison look like? What would the Seattle Mariners need to give up?

Would the Nationals want to trade Josh Harrison away?

It’s a little hard to say, honestly. The Washington Nationals are 45-49 but only five games behind the first-place New York Mets. I wouldn’t say the Nationals are that great of a team but they certainly aren’t bad. They are led by Max Scherzer, Juan Soto, and Trea Turner but injuries have hindered the success of the team.

That being said, they may want to keep Josh Harrison who’s been playing frequently for them at second or third. It might come down to the wire whether J Hay becomes available to the Seattle Mariners and others. There is still more than a week left until the trade deadline so it will be interesting to see what happens.