How the Mariners should line up with Taylor Ward in and Brendan Donovan back

The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Seattle Mariners were able to address one of their biggest needs by acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward from the Baltimore Orioles. As one of the worst teams in baseball against left-handed pitching this season, Seattle is hopeful that Ward's right-handed bat will help balance the lineup and provide some much-needed offensive production.

Along with Ward's Pacific Northwest debut, the Mariners are also expected to welcome back Brendan Donovan on Tuesday. The versatile infielder has been out since May 16 with a left groin strain followed by a personal family matter. He will likely return to third base, where he started back on Opening Day. His return comes at an important time, with J.P. Crawford landing back on the injured list.

Before dealing with two injuries, Donovan was one of Seattle's most consistent hitters. If he returns healthy, Donovan, combined with Ward, could provide exactly the type of offensive spark the Mariners have been missing this season.

How Dan Wilson can fill out his lineups to get the most out of Taylor Ward and Brendan Donovan

With the recent changes, here's what a potential M's lineup could look like moving forward.

Against right-handed pitching:

1. 3B Brendan Donovan (L)
2. 2B Cole Young (L)
3. LF Randy Arozarena (R)
4. RF Dominic Canzone (L)
5. CF Julio Rodríguez (R)
6. 1B Josh Naylor (L)
7. C Cal Raleigh (S)
8. DH Taylor Ward (R)
9. SS Colt Emerson (L)

Thanks to an early-season first-at-bat leadoff home run, Donovan quickly became a fan favorite in Seattle. In doing so, he also demonstrated he deserves the opportunity to lead off. Through 25 games, he posted a .274 batting average and an .838 OPS with three home runs, four doubles and one triple. This impressive production paired with a consistent approach will allow him to put pressure on opposing pitchers right off the bat.

Batting Cole Young second creates another tough at-bat immediately following Donovan. He has developed into a reliable hitter with a .269 batting average and .325 OBP with 14 home runs while performing especially well in clutch situations. Both hitters excel at making contact and working counts. Placing them back-to-back gives Seattle the chance to extend innings, wear down opposing starters, and create more RBI opportunities for the middle of the lineup.

Although Ward has traditionally been known as a power hitter, he has shifted towards a more patient approach this season with a strong ability to get on base, boasting a career high .383 on-base percentage. Rather than placing him near the top of the lineup and risk having his .690 OPS against right-handed pitching getting exploited, batting him eighth could maximize his impact. This placement gives Seattle another quality at-bat near the bottom of the order and offers an opportunity to to turn the lineup over with runners on base ahead of Donovan at the plate.

Against left-handed pitching

1. 3B Brendan Donovan (L)
2. RF Taylor Ward (R)
3. LF Randy Arozarena (R)
4. CF Julio Rodríguez (R)
5. DH Dominic Canzone (L)
6. 1B Josh Naylor (L)
7. C Cal Raleigh (S)
8. 2B Cole Young (L)
9. SS Colt Emerson (L)

Against left-handed pitching is where Ward can really shine, as seen by his .839 OPS this season. Placing him in the second spot immediately gives Seattle another right-handed threat near the top of the lineup while spreading out the left-handed hitters. This position places a quality bat ahead of power bats like Arozarena and Rodríguez. Ward leads the American League in walks this season with 87 of them. He knows how to get on base.

This potential lineup allows Donovan to continue doing what he does best while also giving Seattle a better chance to attack left-handed starters early on by having Ward follow up with an impressive combination of power, on-base ability, and contact against lefties. This combination make Donovan's return and the addition of Ward the perfect fit for Seattle. In the first and second spots of the lineup, they will be able to create more RBI opportunities for the middle of the order.

If Donovan returns healthy and Ward performs as expected, the Mariner's lineup could look much deeper than it did just last week. Instead of relying heavily on Arozarena, Rodríguez, and Raleigh, Seattle could have quality hitters throughout that would support and toughen up the lineup as the Mariners continue to fight for a postseason appearance.

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