Mariners can’t ignore ominous Zack Gelof warning sign amid fresh trade buzz

If the Seattle Mariners aren't going to re-sign J.P. Crawford or put it all on Teruaki Sato, then free agency might not be the way to address the left side of their infield. So let's talk about trades, and specifically one for Zack Gelof.

It seems to be Jason A. Churchill who first pitched Gelof as a trade target for the Mariners, and now here comes Adam Jude of The Seattle Times to join the chorus. He ran through eight trade possibilities for Jerry Dipoto to find the left-side infielder he seeks, with Gelof among those who would bring versatility the roster.

Indeed, versatility is the 27-year-old Gelof's best selling point. He started 66 games at third base for the Athletics this year, and impressed with +9 Defensive Runs Saved at that spot alone. He also started games at second base and in all three outfield spots. No matter where he played, he looked athletic and generally like he knew what he was doing.

This may be all Dipoto needs to know about Gelof. While the rest of us can fret all we want about how the Mariners will replace Randy Arozarena's lost offense, Dipoto is fretting about the defense. And not unfairly so, given that the Mariners ranked 26th for Defensive Runs Saved and 30th in Outs Above Average this year.

Zack Gelof's bat should give the Mariners pause, and that's assuming the A's are even willing to deal

Gelof's offense, on the other hand, invites more scrutiny. He's only at a 101 OPS+ for his career, with two solid seasons in 2023 and 2026 wrapped around a bad time in 2024 and 2025. He only had a 75 OPS+ for those two seasons, the latter of which was marred by injuries.

Gelof bounced back for a 116 OPS+ and a career-high 22 home runs this year, even though he got spiked on the hand by Matt Chapman in June and then hurt his knee making a catch in Detroit in July. He's suing the Tigers over that second injury, alleging that the cut he sustained from an exposed piece of metal will adversely impact his earning power in arbitration.

In any case, here's the aspect of Gelof's 2026 season that should concern the Mariners:

• Home: .904 OPS, 15 HR
• Away: .664 OPS, 7 HR

His best offensive performance since his rookie year in 2023 was fueled by home cooking at Sutter Health Park. Nobody should be in the dark about the implications of that. To call the A's home in Sacramento "hitter-friendly" would be underselling it. It's the hitter-friendly park in the American League, especially when it comes to home runs.

T-Mobile Park, of course, is not hitter-friendly. And there isn't much in Gelof's offensive profile to suggest he could thrive away from Sacramento. His strikeout and walk rates were worse than average this year, and his contact quality was more good than great. Overall, he was one of the A's hypothetical offensive overachievers.

Since beggars can't be choosers, the Mariners should still reach out to the A's and see what they'd take for Gelof. The A's specifically need starting pitching, and the Mariners have starters to spare. From where we're sitting, Bryce Miller-for-Gelof could be a workable concept. Miller and Gelof each have three remaining years of club control, plus similar risk-reward profiles.

However, the A's are out there teasing a more aggressive approach with their move to Las Vegas looming in 2028. If it's Emerson Hancock, George Kirby or even Bryan Woo they'd want back for Gelof, that's where the Mariners would be within their rights to determine they could do better.

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