3 Emerson Hancock trades that would actually be worth it for the Mariners

So you're the Seattle Mariners, and you want to trade Emerson Hancock. Or at least, you're open to doing so according to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, as long as the return is a right-handed hitter.

Yeah, now we're talking. While we've spilled a lot of ink around here on Luis Castillo, his declining performance and high salaries don't add up to much trade value. We've also spilled more than a little ink on George Kirby, but only in a reluctant way that surely mirrors how the team feels about moving him.

Hancock, on the other hand, has that perfect Goldilocks ratio as a trade candidate. As Rosenthal and Sammon alluded to, he isn't a top-of-the-rotation type. But he is nonetheless having a breakout year marked by a 3.19 ERA over 105.1 innings, and he's 27 years old with club control through 2030.

If the Mariners are going to trade Hancock for a righty bat, they presumably won't sell themselves short by swapping him out for a rental. The goal must be to aim higher than the Taylor Wards and Lane Thomases of the trade market, so let's look at three options who actually make sense.

The Mariners should talk with the Giants, Reds and Cubs about Emerson Hancock

INF/OF Casey Schmitt, San Francisco Giants

Schmitt is the Mariners trade target that seemingly everyone is pointing to right now. Heck, Jim Bowden of The Athletic even went so far as to pitch a trade in which the Mariners get Schmitt and lefty Erik Miller in exchange for Kirby. Even he admitted it's a "bad" idea, so points for transparency if nothing else.

But Hancock for Schmitt? That makes more sense, even if Schmitt would come with one less year of club control through 2029. He and Hancock are on a similar tier as major leaguers: Dudes in their late 20s with clear flaws, but also clear merits.

Whereas Hancock is prone to getting hit hard, Schmitt is prone to swinging and missing and, well, basically never walking. But he can play anywhere on the field, and his .323 average and .845 OPS against lefties in 2026 are numbers Seattle badly needs. They're 29th in average and 30th in OPS against southpaws.

INF/OF Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs

As much as the Giants clearly need starting pitching in a general way, the Cubs need starting pitching right now. They'd be in the playoffs if the season ended today, but not likely to go far on account of a collection of starters that ranks dead-last in rWAR.

For his part, the big problem with Shaw is that he's on the injured list with a sprained hand. Yet the thinking is that he could be back before the end of July, so he shouldn't necessarily be off Seattle's radar as someone who could help.

Shaw fits best at third base or in right field, which happen to be two areas where the Mariners could use at least semi-everyday upgrades. The 24-year-old also boasts a career .822 OPS against lefties, and he would come with club control through 2031.

INF/OF Spencer Steer, Cincinnati Reds

This is where we begin to stray into "Are we sure about this?" territory. Steer is only under club control through 2028, and his red flags are doozies. He's a versatile defender in name only, as he's really only a good defender at first base. He's also posted a sub-.700 OPS away from Great American Ball Park in each of the last two seasons.

And yet, he's another lefty killer, to the tune of an .838 career OPS against southpaws. His bat has also packed more of a punch than usual in 2026, as his barrel rate of 12.6 percent is in the 83rd percentile.

A Hancock-for-Steer swap would feel a little light for the Mariners, but a reliever coming with the 28-year-old Steer would make it feel better. After seeing him wipe the floor with Mariners hitters this past week, one would gladly welcome old friend Emilio Pagán back to T-Mobile Park.

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