Mariners answer desperate prayers for right-handed bat in trade with Orioles

Whatever else the Seattle Mariners do before MLB's trade deadline passes at 3 p.m. PT, they will have at least succeeded in adding a critical puzzle piece. They needed a good right-handed hitter, and Taylor Ward is a good right-handed hitter. Hallelujah.

As ESPN's Jeff Passan was first to report, the Mariners are getting Ward in a four-player deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The outfielder comes to the Pacific Northwest bearing a .383 OBP overall, plus a .413 OBP against left-handers that might as well be an oasis in a desert for the Mariners.

As much as it feels like things have been better lately, the Mariners' .650 OPS against lefties still ranks as the second-worst mark in MLB, ahead of only the Toronto Blue Jays. And the opposition has long since figured it out, to a point where teams have altered their pitching plans to make sure they throw lefty starters at the Mariners.

One downside with Ward is that he's only under club control through the end of the 2026 season, after which the 32-year-old will be a free agent. He's thus the kind of rental the Mariners arguably should have stayed away from. He's also had a power outage, going from 36 home runs in 2025 to just seven so far this year.

All Ward cost the Mariners, though, is a package of three right-handed pitchers consisting of names nobody will miss: Alex Hoppe, Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling. Moore got off to a sensational start with High-A Everett this year, but then got knocked for a 5.56 ERA upon moving up to Double-A.

Ward will presumably slot into everyday duty in right field, where the Mariners had enjoyed Luke Raley as a regular before he landed on the injured list with a left forearm strain on Saturday. Prior to that, his bat had been ice-cold for two months.

All eyes are now on what Mariners do with George Kirby and Emerson Hancock

Just since Saturday night, the Mariners have added Ward to their lineup and Seranthony Domínguez to their bullpen. In doing so, they might have filled the only two needs that needed filling.

Even so, whether or not they're done could depend on what's out there for George Kirby or Emerson Hancock. Both are popular names on the rumor mill right now, and Jayson Stark of The Athletic has reported on a "consensus" that one is likely to get moved before the deadline.

And yet, it doesn't necessarily seem like a seller's market for teams with starting pitching to offer. Heck, the Detroit Tigers didn't even get much for Tarik Skubal. So if Jerry Dipoto can't turn Kirby or Hancock into a haul, the smart play will be to simply keep them as part of a five-man rotation.

A more likely next step for the Mariners might be to cut some fat off their roster. With Ward aboard, there doesn't seem to be much use for Victor Robles or Rob Refsnyder.

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