Mariners Trade Proposal: Zac Gallen from the Diamondbacks

There are more hitters available than there are pitchers in free agency currently. However, it’s pitching that the Mariners need, specifically in their starting rotation. Dipoto has mentioned going out there and trying to find what would essentially be a one-year stopgap, someone who could start the year in the rotation and then slide to the pen once one of the prospects is ready.

There is also talk of adding a higher-level starting pitcher. Someone who fits more in the 2/3 mold, and could slot in behind Ray, and ahead of Gilbert/Marco/Flexen. This is why I think the Mariners should call the Diamondbacks about Zac Gallen.

The Mariners and the Diamondbacks could make another big deal, this time for Zac Gallen.

There is a bit more to this than just trading for Zac Gallen though. Many fans out there think that the Mariners still need to add one more legit bat to the team, with a lot of people (myself included) hoping that they end up with Trevor Story, whether it’s on a short-term or long-term deal.

However, if they end up doing that, you run into some issues. Taking ABs away from Moore is fine. Until he proves he can hit, it’s not worth projecting him into the lineup. The more important one is a lot of guys that are going to need/want ABs. Frazier, Toro, Suarez, Story between 2nd and 3rd. Sure, you can spend some time at DH, but you still have Haniger, Torrens, Winker, and Lewis there. Don’t forget Kelenic either.

So, here is what I want. The Mariners still go out and sign Story… but they trade Torrens alongside some prospects out to Arizona. The Diamondbacks get their DH and a catching project in Torrens, as well as pieces to build towards the future in a division where they are well behind the Dodgers and Padres.

Brash newly debuted on the top 100 prospects list over at MLB Pipeline. There may not be a superstar coming back to Arizona in this deal, but they are getting a lot of controllable talent that can help them out in the long run.

I’m not trying to pass this off as a “oh, it COULD or MIGHT help them, so they should do it”, but with the position that the Diamondbacks are in, increasing their long-term talent and taking a bit of a gamble on Torrens and Trammell could end up being a win for them.

Trammell is a former multi-time top 100 prospect, controlled through the end of 2027. Torrens showed some potential for power and would benefit from more consistent time at DH, and is controllable through 2025. Brash has a dirty slider, and it’s straight fun to watch. He’s under team control for 6 more years, having not started his service time yet.

The length here should be important to Arizona. The Dodgers are insanely good. The Padres have Tatis and a lot of youth around him and look willing to spend. Building towards the future would be good.

It would be worth throwing in someone from lower down in the prospect rankings as well, a more recent addition to further add to the down-the-line haul and potential. It’s why I put Kristian Cardozo in. He’s young and raw with a lot of potential, and someone who has the build of a starter, albeit sitting at least 3-4 years away.

The Mariners could go for another frontline starter, and Gallen would be a great choice. He’s young and controllable and could be a large part of the team going forward. He has yet to throw over 120 innings and hasn’t even passed 70 in any other season. There is some worry with that, but the talent is worth the risk.