Jeff Passan provides perfect Mariners trade idea for cost-conscious Jerry Dipoto

Where do the Mariners go this offseason? Do they trade their starting pitching in hopes of getting a young, controllable, elite bat? Do they explore the international market to take a chance on the upside that it could provide? Do they find a solid offensive weapon, dealing from their plethora of high-level prospects?

All of this has been talked about excessively, as fans wait for the M's to make a move. Seattle has quite a few holes that need to be addressed, a tight financial budget, but one of the best farm systems in the game, so there's a way to make it all work.

In a recent ESPN article, Jeff Passan tabs the Mariners as one of 12 teams to watch this offseason. In this piece, Passan slams the Mariners saying, "The AL West is there for the taking. But it has become abundantly clear that Mariners ownership has no intention of spending at the sort of level that could take a team with a very good core and excellent farm system and turn it into consistent division favorites. Instead, the Mariners are resigned to half-measures."

Passan hits the nail on the head here as the team is just so close to breaking through, yet ownership won't expand the payroll or make the type of bold moves that it sometimes requires to put a roster over the edge.

Jeff Passan says Nico Hoerner is the perfect fit to solve the Mariners second base struggles

The ESPN Insider says that if the team does decide to make another addition to the offense, the perfect trade partner would be the Chicago Cubs. The M's need to target Nico Hoerner.

Hoerner is one of the better second basemen in all of baseball with a relatively high floor due to his skill set. Instead of relying on a hit and power tool, Hoerner creates value with a high contact rate (career .278 hitter) as well as an elite ability to steal bases (74 over the last two seasons). Hoerner is also a former Gold Glove winner, providing the Mariners something they desperately need: defense! The Cubs second baseman is under club control through 2026 and is a reasonable cost at $11.5 million this year and $12 million next year, allowing Dipoto to fill other positions.

Without knowing what the package would look like, Passan is dead on here. This is a move that Dipoto should be pursuing by any means possible to pry the former Gold Glover from Chicago. We know Dipoto is interested, as there were rumors this summer that the two sides were exploring a deal. Hoerner fits the Mariners very well and would give them the type of spark that they needed when they acquired Victor Robles.