Cubs' decimated rotation spells a trade opportunity for Mariners' Jerry Dipoto

During an interview on Wednesday, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said he feels like the Mariners are a pretty complete team. However, ahead of the 2026 season he also said he had the best roster from his time in Seattle, and we all know how things played out. The reality is that the M's still need to find quality bats from outside the organization, and the Cubs have emerged as a team which can help out in this area.

The Cubs are coming off a successful campaign which saw them make the playoffs, but their starters struggled, as evidenced by finishing 18th in team ERA. Now, the rotation is in an even more precarious position after being decimated as a result of seven pitchers hitting free agency. The situation couldn't be more different in Seattle, leaving the Mariners primed to take full advantage.

You know the Mariners rotation is in a good standing when they have a collective off-year, but still finish 10th in team ERA. This remains effectively the same core which led the majors in ERA just two years ago and as of right now they have six quality starting options. And keep in mind this is not including Ryan Sloan, who is expected to make his Major League debut at some point in 2027, pending how the seemingly inevitable lockout pans out.

It is conceivable that someone such as Bryce Miller could be moved to the bullpen on a more permanent basis, although we can't imagine him being too happy with this. Really though, there's every chance one or more of the Mariners starters could be moved. George Kirby and Emerson Hancock in particular are seen as prime trade candidates, and where it gets really intriguing is that the Cubs reportedly had interest in both ahead of this year's trade deadline.

The Cubs have a couple of intriguing options who should interest the Mariners

Miller is an option as well, especially if the bullpen scenario does come up and he pushes back by insisting he wants to remain as a starter. We probably shouldn't entirely rule out Logan Gilbert either, but the point is that there's plenty of starting pitchers for the Cubs to enquire about to help replenish their own ranks.

The question is, what would the Mariners like in return to facilitate a deal?

Going back to Dipoto's comments, we do objectively understand what he was getting at, even if we don't entirely agree. He referenced a lineup that includes Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor -- who should all bounce back in 2027 -- along with Cole Young, Dominic Canzone and Colt Emerson. He also talked about the likes of Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo stepping up internally, but still, more is required.

With the Cubs, one player who can potentially fill a need for the Mariners is Matt Shaw. Despite having his second season in the majors compromised by a couple of stints of the Injured List, he did show encouraging steady progress with a right-hand bat which the M's require. He was talented enough to be drafted 13th overall in 2023 and is the type of speedy utility player Dipoto loves, but could help out in Seattle at third base and in right field specifically.

Another enticing Cubs option for the Mariners to consider is Pedro Ramirez, who looked the part right away in his first season of Major League action. He's a switch-hitter who produced a .919 OPS from the right side, can play two infield spots and has excellent range. Dipoto prides himself on leaving no stone unturned, so lets see if a long-distance call to Chicago is on the cards, because we're all in favor of it.

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