Mariners’ Shed Long Jr. Has Value at the Trade Deadline

With the Seattle Mariners in a position to buy at the 2021 Trade Deadline, it’s important to remember there will be valuable pieces that must go in order to bring back significant returns (we miss you already, Kendall Graveman). Ideally, the players who are shipped out of Seattle have traits that are highly valued by other teams, but are not firm pieces in the Mariners’ long-term plans; Shed Long Jr. is one of those players.

Shed Long Jr. is a Mariners position player who has the hitting tools, athleticism, and speed that will be attractive to other teams at the trade deadline.

Long, a 5’8″, 185 lb. utility player, originally came to the Mariners from the Cincinnati Reds in early 2019, when Seattle was beginning their full rebuild. He was called up for the first time in May 2019 and finished the season with a .263 batting average and 5 home runs through 42 games.

At that time, it looked like Long might have a job as the Mariners’ long-term second baseman – it didn’t last long (no pun intended), though, as he hit .171 in the shortened 2020 campaign and was effectively replaced by Dylan Moore. Now, with the acquisition of Abraham Toro, and Moore taking over the utility role, Long is expendable.

While Long certainly struggled last season, it’s likely a stress fracture in his right shin was a major contributing factor; he didn’t go on the IL for the injury until September, but he reported shortly thereafter that he was battling pain all season. That story, in my opinion, proves Long’s toughness, which is always a valuable trait in a professional athlete.

Additionally, though Long has had continued struggles this year (.187 BA), he’s had some big moments. On June 20th, he hit a game-winning grand slam to cap a 4-game sweep of the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays (see below). Wasting no time, he then hit a go-ahead home run the very next day against the Colorado Rockies.

With the Mariners looking at second base (Abraham Toro) and left field (Jarred Kelenic, once Kyle Lewis returns), Shed Long Jr. doesn’t appear to have a long-term fit in Seattle. As Jerry Dipoto continues to make moves as we approach the trade deadline, don’t be surprised to see Long shedded from the roster (pun intended).