Why the Seattle Mariners Should Trade for Jose Ramirez

A Pitching Heavy Return for Cleveland

Jose Ramirez is an absolute superstar in Major League Baseball. He is coming off of a 6.3 WAR season, according to Fangraphs, and has also had a WAR above 3.5 every season since 2016. This includes a little bit of a down year in 2019, as well as a shortened season last year. Ramirez is not only an offensive star having had an OPS of .893 last season, but is also a good defender too; he had 7 outs above average last year according to Baseball Savant, which was better than stud Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford.

For Cleveland, they get a future shortstop or third baseman in Noelvi Marte who projects to be a Manny Machado-type player. They also get three future rotation options with Hancock, Williamson, and Phillips. Hancock is coming off of a short season, but was the 6th overall pick in 2020 and has four good pitches. Williamson got to Double A last year and was dominant while he was there. Phillips, the #8 prospect in the Mariners’ system, also has promise as a 20-year-old right-hander.

This is a way for the Mariners to get Ramirez, as Cleveland would gain 3 potential rotation arms who would be cheap and controllable players for a long time. Cleveland is a low-payroll team that does not like to spend money, and can trade Ramirez to get a haul of pitching pieces to build their team for the future.

Bolstering Cleveland’s Position Player Depth

Jose Ramirez truly is a special player, as he was the AL MVP runner-up in 2020 and was 3rd in 2017 and 2018. He is a switch hitter and would give the Mariners an overall offensive monster. This season, he was 41% better than league average with an OPS+ of 141 according to Baseball Reference, and he would be the best offensive player for the Mariners by far going forward.

Here, Cleveland get Noelvi Marte, who is a potential future Jose Ramirez-level player. Again, Hancock has value as a #3 or better starter who could reach the big leagues by the end of next year. In this deal, they also get outfielder Zach DeLoach, who profiles as a good 3rd or even 4th outfielder in the best outfields. They also get Harry Ford, who is young but gives them a solid prospect down the road.

This deal gives the Indians more of a balanced, offensive-centered trade package. They get an infielder in Marte who is a few years away still but is very talented. They get an outfielder in DeLoach who reached AA this year, as well as Hancock, who could get to the majors by 2023. Ford is very far away but has lots of promise as a catcher or another position.

Cleveland Gets a Balanced Return for Jose Ramirez

Again, the Mariners get their new cornerstone on offense in Ramirez. He not only is a great hitter and defender, but is also a solid baserunner. He had a sprint speed of 28.2 this season, which would have been the third fastest on the Mariners, behind Sam Haggerty and Dylan Moore.

Ramirez would need to be signed to an extension by the Mariners as well, as they are giving up a major prospect haul in this trade. He is going to be 29 this year, and he will be under club control through his age 30 season. An extension to keep him in Seattle would be essential as the Mariners try to make their team a perennial postseason threat and eventually win a World Series.

Here, Cleveland gets Marte and Hancock, who would need to be included in about any deal that could land Jose Ramirez. They get another hitter in DeLoach who could get to the big leagues in two years for them, as well as a promising rotation arm in Williamson. Cleveland gets two impact bats and two starting pitchers for the future.

Overall, it is going to take a lot to land Jose Ramirez from Cleveland, but the Mariners should not feel tied to prospects who they hope will turn into the exact caliber of player Ramirez is today.