Mariners and Blue Jays can break the internet with a wild George Springer trade

When it comes to resilient fanbases in the face of disappointment and adversity, few -- if any -- top the Mariners, highlighted by being the only current franchise to never play in the World Series. Well, how about testing just how good that resilience is, by welcoming the player who destroyed their team's hopes of a first trip to the Fall Classic last year and has been a sworn enemy for years. Are fans ready to accept George Springer in an M's uniform?

It's crunch time in the 2026 season for the Mariners, coming off a road series loss to the Rangers and with the trade deadline now less than a week away. No matter how much people talk about the AL West being weak, they sit in third place with a 52-55 record and now head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers, having been swept there on their last four trips. This is the defining point of the M's 2026 campaign, and desperate times call for desperate measures.

The question is, are the Mariners desperate enough to risk trading for Springer, who regularly irritated the fanbase during his time with the Astros, then took it to another level with his three-run homer in Game 7 of last year's ALCS? To be fair and giving credit where it's due, Brent Stecker of Seattle Sports pitched this idea in late June. We weren't buying it at the time, but to paraphrase a certain saying, a month is a long time in the world of pro sports.

Still some life left in the old dog despite a mostly disappointing 2026 season

On the surface level a move for Springer seems like a bad idea, with him now 36 and projected for a .709 OPS which would be the lowest of his 13 years in the majors. However, he's been in fine form for the past month, since a two-hit performance versus the Yankees on June 14. In 27 games, the four-time All-Star is batting .284 with a .804 OPS and 124 wRC+.

In fairness to Springer, it was only last season when he produced a .959 OPS with career-highs of a 164 OPS+ and 166 wRC+. He checks all the boxes as an accomplished right-handed and leadoff hitter, while also being a postseason legend. Additionally, even in what has been a down season as a whole for him, he's still been very productive versus those 'pesky' lefties the Mariners have struggled with, batting .268 with an .804 OPS.

That this would even be a possibility comes down to the Blue Jays having an even bigger fall from grace than the Mariners; one inning away from winning it all, to propping up the AL East with a 49-58 record. So what would it take for Springer to end up in Seattle?

Is the juice worth the squeeze, for the Mariners to trade for George Springer?

Key to this is that he will be owed just over $7 million for this season come the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com sees two possible approaches for teams interested in Springer. Either take on the remainder of his salary and give a lower-ranked prospect, or have the Blue Jays retain a significant portion of said salary to obtain a much better prospect. Certainly the Mariners are in position to do both, but it doesn't mean there aren't other approaches for them to take.

One such example is the two teams negotiating a deal centered on including Luis Castillo, which we know the Mariners would prefer and might actually work. Even then though, it could ultimately come down to Springer, who has an eight-team no-trade list. Unlike with Kevin Gausman, we don't know if the Mariners are on Springer's list or not.

Overall, we appreciate that even the thought of Springer in a Mariners uniform will be nauseating to quite a lot of fans. However, the team has to do something to light a fire underneath them, in what is currently shaping up to be arguably the most disappointing season in franchise history. As such, everything has to be considered, even if it means joining forces with a long-time enemy.

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