Why the Seattle Mariners Should Trade for Jose Ramirez

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.