3 trade targets for Mariners to fix atrocious defense ahead of 2027 season

With their tragic number now at 2, the Seattle Mariners could be eliminated from playoff contention as soon as Sunday afternoon. But at this point, things have been going downhill for so long that one hopes plans for 2027 have already been drawn up. If so, some must concern the defense.

However bad you think the Mariners have been in the field, they have probably been worse. They have accounted for -53 Outs Above Average, the second-worst mark since the stat debuted in 2021. Amazingly, only Josh Naylor is actually in the black with +1 OAA for the year.

We've written before about how this is a serious design flaw, given how the Mariners have based their present contention model on run prevention. There also isn't much hope of improvement from within. Julio Rodríguez will hopefully be better in center field next year, and it's still worth having faith in Colt Emerson as the everyday shortstop of the future. Otherwise, it's bleak.

The Mariners should have their eyes on these 3 trade targets this offseason

With Luis Castillo already gone and Randy Arozarena and J.P. Crawford set to come off the books, the Mariners are going to have some money to play around with this winter. This could be their ticket to pursue other teams' bad contracts, or to simply play around in free agency.

But since the Mariners have tended to keep the free-agent market at arm's length under Jerry Dipoto, the trade market might be the more likely place for the team to get some new gloves. Here are some possibilities.

SS Masyn Winn, St. Louis Cardinals

FanSided's Pat Ragazzo mentioned Masyn Winn as an offseason trade candidate who deserves more attention. He looked like a future star when he turned in a 5-WAR season in 2024, but his bat has devolved since then. Moreover, he's standing in the way of the Cardinals getting maximum value from JJ Wetherholt by having him play shortstop.

With +39 OAA over the last two seasons, Winn still stands out as one of MLB's marquee defenders. He's ultimately one of the best possible upgrades the Mariners can make, and they would stand to control the 24-year-old through 2029.

The Mariners seem all but certain to trade from their rotation surplus this winter, and it so happens that the Cardinals will need starting pitching. Could a Winn-for-Emerson Hancock trade work? It's worth a conversation, if nothing else.

3B Joey Ortiz, Milwaukee Brewers

The catch with Winn is that he's a shortstop all the way. And while Adam Jude of The Seattle Times did write on Saturday that the Mariners could be in the market for a "veteran shortstop" this winter, the ideal scenario involves Emerson earning and holding that spot long-term.

But since Emerson will be coming off season-ending wrist surgery next spring, how about a compromise? As in, a guy who can play a terrific third base, but who can also slide over and more than hold his own at short when needed?

This is Joey Ortiz in a nutshell, as he has +19 OAA as a third baseman and +16 OAA as a shortstop through four MLB seasons. The 28-year-old is only a supporting character on the Brewers, and he's about to get more expensive via arbitration in 2027. That tends to be when they consider moving guys, and there could be a prospect package Seattle can offer to grease the wheels.

LF Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians

As fun as it has been to watch Arozarena hit the ball since he came over in 2024, any ball hit his way in left field has been a "hold your breath" occasion. Sometimes, he makes it interesting in a good way. Other times, he makes it interesting in a bad way.

It's genuinely hard to predict what the Mariners' post-Arozarena outfield is going to look like. We know Julio will be in center, but that's really it. Will Brendan Donovan be in left field on an everyday basis? Is the team ready to trust Michael Arroyo and/or Lazaro Montes? Is Dominic Canzone a DH only?

This is up to the Mariners, but we'll stump for finding a new left fielder and letting right field figure itself out. Steven Kwan is the best they come defensively in left field, as he's won four straight Gold Gloves and is likely to capture a fifth this year. The range is good. The arm might be even better.

With Kwan, you also get a pesky bat-to-ball hitter who's putting the finishing touches on a career-best .376 OBP. The 29-year-old has been a regular in trade rumors in recent years, and that is sure to be the case again ahead of his free-agent walk year in 2027.

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