Controversial Jerry Dipoto trade is having an unexpected payoff for Mariners

When the Seattle Mariners traded closer Paul Sewald at the 2023 deadline, it sent shockwaves through the clubhouse.

It wasn’t just any trade. It was one that seemed to signal the front office was waving the white flag on a team that believed it was close to contending. In return, the Mariners received a package of position players from Arizona: utility man Josh Rojas, infielder Ryan Bliss, and outfielder Dominic Canzone. A proven bullpen staple had been dealt for a contact-first role player and a pair of unproven bats. For a team that hadn’t fallen completely out of the playoff race, the move felt like a step backward.

Most notably, it drew public frustration from Cal Raleigh, who told The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude at the end of the season: “I thought we were [better than this]. I really did… Losing Paul at the trade deadline definitely hurt. And that was a big spot in our season.”

Canzone’s breakout is rewriting the story of a highly criticized Mariners trade

Fast forward to August 2025, and one of those unproven bats is starting to turn the tide of public perception, and possibly rewriting the story of the Sewald deal entirely.

Dominic Canzone, once a raw power bat with major swing-and-miss concerns, has quietly transformed into one of the most consistent offensive producers in Seattle’s lineup. Since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on June 9, he’s seized the opportunity (and manager Dan Wilson’s trust) while earning an everyday role in right field. And with the way he’s performing, there’s been no reason to look back.

He’s slashing .296/.351/.500 on the season, with sevenn home runs and 16 RBIs across 47 games, a rock-solid line on its own. But the surface stats only scratch the surface. Since his return, Canzone owns a 148 wRC+, ranking 13th in the American League over that stretch. That puts him ahead of MVP frontrunners like his own teammate Cal Raleigh and even Aaron Judge.

Canzone has clearly leveled up. After brief and inconsistent stints with the big-league club in 2023 and 2024, where he flashed power but struggled to make consistent contact, the soon-to-be 28-year-old went to work. He added muscle, refined his swing, and started turning on pitches he used to miss.

The results speak for themselves. His strikeout rate is down significantly, his contact metrics are up, and he’s even holding his own against left-handed pitching, batting .280 against southpaws. Once seen as a strict platoon option, Canzone has earned everyday status, something that would’ve been unthinkable just a year ago.

Originally seen as a secondary piece in the Sewald return, Canzone may soon be regarded as the crown jewel. Rojas contributed solid production before moving on to the White Sox, and Bliss looked poised to carve out a role at second base before a left biceps injury derailed his season. But it’s Canzone who’s rewriting the narrative.

Of course, the situation could soon become complicated. Former leadoff man and right fielder Victor Robles is set to begin a rehab assignment on August 12, and his eventual return will create a logjam in the outfield. But right now, Canzone is making the lineup decisions easy. His production, plate discipline, and defensive consistency have made him one of Seattle’s most valuable players since June.

Time will tell how this all shakes out, but if Canzone continues to swing it like this, Mariners fans, and maybe even Cal Raleigh, might look back on the Sewald trade with a different perspective.