1 Trade Candidate from every MLB team that the Mariners should consider

AL East

Blue Jays - Erik Swanson

The Mariners traded Swanson last offseason in a deal to acquire Teoscar Hernandez. It was a relatively low risk move, but with a need in the bullpen, the Mariners could return a familiar face. Swanson was really good again in 2023, throwing 66.2 innings with 2.97 ERA and really impressive 10.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 numbers. He would slot in right next to Topa as the 3rd/4th option in the pen. Plus, he is under control through 2025, giving some stability and control.

Orioles - Anthony Santander

Santander is a rental bat slated to make just over $14 million this year. He fits in really well with this club as he has a career 108 wRC+, a very solid 21% K% for a power hitting outfielder. He has hit 61 home runs in the last 2 years while slugging over 450 in both years. Santander give some versatility, being able to play both corner outfield spots and some first base if needed.

Rays - Josh Lowe

I proposed a trade for Josh Lowe a few weeks back. The Mariners line up extremely well with the Rays as trade partners and Josh Lowe is one of my favorite outfielders and would fit perfectly into this lineup. He slashed .292/.335/.500 with 20 home runs and 32 stolen bases while putting up a 131 wRC+ and a 3.8 fWAR, in his first full season in the big leagues. He could hit anywhere in the lineup 1-9 and fits the club's emphasis on limiting strikeouts with a strikeout rate of 24.8%.

Red Sox - Alex Verdugo

There have been a lot of rumors surrounding Verdugo this offseason, and a few have linked him to the Mariners. He is an interesting target, and he doesn't strikeout much at all with a career K% of 15.1%. He doesn't have a ton of power with just 13 home runs in 2023, tied for a career high, as well as a career slugging percentage of .428, but he would be a solid addition to the lineup as the 3rd best bat added this offseason. There are some concerns about his fit in the locker room, which will ultimately come down to Dipoto and co. doing their due diligence on that side of things.

Yankees - Gleyber Torres

Sticking with the theme of limiting strikeouts, as evidence of the recent Geno trade, Gleyber Torres fits in perfectly. A career 20.3% strikeout rate and a .454 slugging percentage fits the team perfectly. He is a rental bat, but would give them a solid 2nd base option, allowing Rojas and Urias to platoon at third base.

AL Central

Guardians - Josh Naylor

Naylor would be a really solid addition to the Ms lineup, but is a similar play to Ty France. Naylor is coming of a career best year and France a career worst year, but Naylor still fits this team as a DH or rotational first base should the team decide to move on from France. Naylor hit .308/.354/.489 with a 128 wRC+ in 2023. He hit 17 home runs, but only struck out 13.7% of the time. I like Naylor a lot, but I just don't see the fit on this team as it currently stands.

Royals - Vinnie Pasquantino

Pascquantino was on pace for a solid first full year in the majors, but injuries cut it short. He still slashed .247/.324/.437 with a 103 wRC+ and9 home runs in 231 at bats. He was on pace for about 25 home runs and this is a solid number considering the walk, 9.6%, and strikeout,11.9%, rates. I am not sure if there is a deal here that make sense, and he might be a similar to profile as Ty France, with a little more power but if the Mariners can get him for some prosepcts, I would be interested.

Tigers - Kerry Carpenter

I am very doubtful the Tigers would trade Carpenter who slashed .278/.340/.471 with a 121 wRC+ in 118 games in 2023. He hit 20 home runs during that time with a 25.1% K% and a 7% BB%, both really impressive rates for a rookie. I don't know there is a deal here that makes sense for the Tigers to move Carpenter, but he is a very interesting young outfielder.

Twins - Max Kepler

Long been rumored to the Mariners, as we touched on here, Max Kepler fits this team like a glove. He is a left-handed corner outfielder that is a plus defender with some pop. He could slot in the lineup somewhere 2 through 6 and make total sense. He probably wouldn't cost a ton but could do wonders for this lineup.

White Sox - Eloy Jimenez

I was against acquiring for Eloy Jimenez for a number of reasons, as we touched on previously. But there is no denying the talent. Jimenez has the potential to hit 40 home runs if he can stay healthy. The problems lie in his health and his ability to play the field. He is most likely an everyday DH and one that hasn't been able to stay healthy. This is a very interesting bat, there is no denying that though.

AL West

Astros - Kendall Graveman

As the Mariners continue to subtract from their bullpen, how about acquiring a familiar face? Graveman was traded at the 2021 trade deadline in a controversial deal. Getting Graveman back could help replace some of the good vibes the Mariners lost in the Geno trade. He is a leader and obviously loved his time in Seattle, and is an elite closer.

Angels - Taylor Ward

Ward is an interesting name and someone that could play both corner outfield spots and some first base. He controls the zone well with a a career K rate of 23.3% and a walk rate of 9.4%. He has 20+ home run potential is probably about a 250 hitter. He isn't anything spectacular, but he would be a solid addition.

Athletics - Seth Brown

Seth Brown doesn't necessarily fit the CTZ mold, but his 27.2% K rate is certainly better than Mike Ford's K rate of almost 33%. I could see Brown filling a similar role of Ford but giving you some flexibility to stick him in a corner outfield position. Brown can play some corner outfield and first base and would be a solid 4th outfielder, one that could run into 20-25 home runs.

Rangers - Ezequiel Duran

Again, Duran doesn't fit the CTZ mold, but he is a really solid role player. In 439 plate appearances in 2023, he hit .276/.324/.443 with 14 home runs as a solid utility guy that saw games at shortstop, left field, third base, second base, first base and right field. Duran taking the role of Dylan Moore would certainly raise the floor of this team as a higher contact super utility player with similar pop.

NL Central

Brewers - Devin WIlliams

Williams has been the best reliever in baseball over the last few years. I touched on acquiring him previously and he would make this bullpen even better than when Sewald was here. He has elite strikeout numbers, solid walk numbers and one of the best pitches in baseball, in his changeup. He would be expensive, but man, this bullpen would be scary.

Cardinals - Nolan Gorman

Gorman has been one of the most talked about players in Mariners and Cardinals rumors. He doesn't fit the bill of the guys Dipoto is acquiring, but he has some crazy high upside. He very well could hit 240 with 35-40 home run potential, it's that good. He will strikeout a ton, but you are getting a borderline 500 slugging percentage and legit, regular 30 home run potential. He could slot in at third base with the departure of Geno.

Cubs - Christopher Morel

Morel has been talked about in quite a few different trades this offseason with the Cubs. I don't necessarily think they are looking to move him, but he is talented. He has put up some really impressive numbers in the minor leagues and really broke out in 2023 with 26 homes and a 119 wRC+. He played games at every position minus catcher and first base, potentially giving the Mariners a high upside, uber athletic super utility player.

Reds - Spencer Steer

Spencer Steer is one of my favorite players in the game and I have talked about acquiring him previously. Another super utility type player having spent time at 5 different positions in 2023, he isn't a great defender anywhere, but he can pass at all of them. The upside with Steer is on the offensive side of the ball. In 2023 he slashed .271/.356/.464 with 23 home runs and 15 stolen bases. He is a CTZ guy with a 20.9% K rate and a 10.2% walk rate. With Geno gone, he can become the everyday third baseman, or play a super utility role if you acquire a solid third baseman.

Pirates - Dauri Moreta

Moreta is a name most probably aren't familiar with, but he is downright nasty! He has a pitch that people call the wrong way slider. I don't even know how to explain it other than to just say to look it up. In 2023 he threw 58 innings with a 3.72 ERA and an 11.8 K/9 with 3.7 BB/9. He would be a solid addition to the middle of this bullpen with some real strikeout, high leverage upside.

NL West

Diamondbacks - Christian Walker

Christian Walker most certainly isn't going anywhere this offseason. When rumors broke that Geno was going to be headed to Arizona, many though that we could be getting Walker back. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Walker is older at 32, but he is one of the best first baseman in the game. He slashed .258/.333/.497 with 33 home runs and 11 stolen bases in 2023, with gold glove level defense. Adding him to be the everyday first baseman and shifting Ty France to the bench would make this lineup a lot scarier.

Dodgers - Andy Pages

This one was really hard as the Dodgers and Mariners just don't match up well. I could see this in some sort of prospect swap or in a 3 team deal maybe, I don't know. Pages is a solid prospect who has dealt with some injuries last year. Prior to that, he was really good. In 2022 he slashed .236/.336/.468 with 26 home runs. He has a ton of upside but doesn't really fit where the Mariners are at right now, but then again....you just never know with Dipoto and co.

Giants - Lamonte Wade Jr.

Wade really broke out in 2023 and seems like the kind of player, Dipoto would drool over. He doesn't hit for a ton of power with just 17 home runs in 2023, and a .417 slugging percentage. But he hit .256 with a .373 on-base-percentage, fueled by a 14.6% walk rate. He probably isn't a significant upgrade over France, but if you got him to be a DH, you will most certainly get more production than you did from your DH in 2023.

Padres - Juan Soto

Soto is perhaps the best bat to have been available in the trade market in years. We have touched on potential deals before. He fits this team like a glove and there is no denying it. A 25-year-old outfielder with a walk rate, 19%, higher than his career strikeout rate, 17%, is the ideal Mariner. His career slash is .284/.421/.524 with a 154 wRC+. Even on a 1-year rental, this is one of the best bats the game has seen in years, and I would love to add him to hit behind Julio.

Rockies - Justin Lawrence

This was another difficult one as the Rockies don't match up well with the Mariners, but Lawrence is a very interesting reliever. A solid 2023 saw him throw 75 innings with a 3.72 ERA. He posted a solid 9.4 K/9 and a manageable 4.3 BB/9. He would be a really good 3rd or 4th reliever with Topa and would give the bullpen some much needed depth.