Mariners: Top 5 Players likely to be traded this offseason

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 01: Jake Fraley #28 of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on October 01, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 01: Jake Fraley #28 of the Seattle Mariners looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on October 01, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 7
Next
Shed Long of the Mariners
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – JULY 07: Shed Long Jr. #4 of the Seattle Mariners dives for the ball, but comes up short, during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at T-Mobile Park on July 07, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /

Mariners Trade Candidate #2: Shed Long

I know plenty of Mariners fans who have had high hopes for Shed Long. Shoot, they still do. He fits right in with the Mariners, and even stands out (in a good way) with his glasses in the field.

Unfortunately for Long, he has been plagued by injuries and struggled for a long time to recoup from his odd leg injury, dealing with issues with his shin, an infection, and lingering soreness.

Playing him out in Left Field didn’t make things better, as it comes from a need to have someone out there as compared to Long actually fitting out there. It would be nice to see him get a real shot at second base. With the Mariners seriously opening their window to compete and contend, those options for plugging in relative unknowns (or unprovens) are all but closed.

Second base isn’t the deepest position in baseball, as even the Mariners have proved before grabbing Abraham Toro at the deadline and inserting him there. Long is only going to be 26 this upcoming season, and there are plenty of rebuilding teams out there, and teams with question marks at second base. I fully expect Dipoto to check in with them to see if he can make some sort of upgrade to the team in exchange for Long.