Orioles' open trade door should be Mariners' cue to push for Jordan Westburg

Just a few years ago, it seemed like the Orioles were building a dynasty in the American League. They had an enticing roster full of homegrown talent and after a change in ownership in 2024, the possibility of them also becoming one of the highest-spending teams also seemed within reason.

Yet somehow, the past two seasons have been a return to form for Baltimore baseball and not in a good way. Their highest-rated prospects didn't pan out, they traded away Adley Rutschman who was seen as the face of the franchise, and they've finished the last two seasons towards the bottom of their division.

As with most teams that suffer a sudden decline in performance, the Orioles have decided to start over and are now reportedly willing to trade anyone but Pete Alonso, a perfect opportunity for the Mariners. Seattle is in need of some offense and Baltimore has some pieces that could help. The last time these two teams did business at last year's trade deadline, it ended in disaster but don't let Taylor Ward's shortcomings lead you to believe that there aren't other bats that could help the cause.

Jordan Westburg could fill one of the Mariners' biggest gaps in the infield and in the lineup

Jordan Westburg was one of the position player prospects that had fans excited about Baltimore's future. In 2023, he was the organization's No. 5 prospect and the No. 74 prospect overall. He was solid in his three seasons but was unfortunately sidelined with Tommy John surgery, forcing him to miss all of 2026.

Over his 1,027 big league plate appearances, Westburg has hit to a respectable 116 OPS+ but his overall value was hurt by his defense. He split time between second and third base and was slightly below league-average at both in terms of Defensive Runs Saved. On the other hand, his range at third base graded him favorably for metrics like Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value.

This works out well for the Mariners' needs, as their current option at third base in Brendan Donovan might not be the right long-term move. Not only is Seattle's third base picture unclear, they could have a similar predicament with their shortstop role if Colt Emerson still isn't fully big-league ready in 2027. A J.P. Crawford reunion isn't totally implausible, but it would be good for the team to have some depth on the left side of the infield. Though Westburg hasn't played much shortstop in the majors, he spent more time at shortstop in college and in the minors than in any other role so it shouldn't be too much of a role shift for him.

Aside from the defensive upside, Westburg has been a consistently above-average bat from the right-hand side, filling another key gap in Seattle's roster. In 2024, his expected stats and quality of contact numbers were all in the top quartile of qualified hitters and though he did see regression in 2025, he also dealt with a hamstring strain and an ankle sprain, both of which landed him on the IL.

This tattered history with injuries may make him less of an appealing asset but this should actually play into the Mariners' favor. With their own stockpile of promising infield talent in the farm system, Seattle doesn't need to invest too heavily in filling these roster gaps, they just need someone to hold down the fort while players like Felnin Celesten and Ace Reese continue to develop. Since the front office has also been historically frugal with prospect capital, targeting someone like Jordan Westburg, who is coming off of a one-year layoff and could be considered injury prone, should give them more leverage to negotiate a cheaper return package.

Jordan Westburg should be seen as a high-floor trade target with limited upside. He probably won't be a serious MVP contender or take over the league upon his return but he could be just solid enough for the Mariners to return to contention without forgoing too much of their future. This hypothetical move may be more realistic than idealistic but the organization's path forward will more than likely be composed of several small steps, not one big swing.

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