3 Colorado Rockies the Mariners should target at the trade deadline

The Rockies will likely miss the postseason for the sixth time in a row. With a winning percentage of just 36.5% after 104 games and a whopping 23.5-game deficit in their own division, they'll be clear sellers at the trade deadline. While they don't have much to offer by way of elite arms, they have a handful of above-average bats that could be crucial in the final sixty games of the season.

On paper, the hottest commodities seem to be outfielder Brenton Doyle, third baseman Ryan McMahon, and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. However, given their production, years of remaining control, and general sentiment regarding their chances of getting packaged away, they don't find themselves on this list. Instead, here are three alternatives that make a little more sense for both the Mariners and the Rockies.

C Jacob Stallings - .273/.369/.453

Stallings has been a solid backup backstop in Colorado this year. He's only managed to accumulate 188 plate appearances so far this year but it's been a much better year than the ones he's had recently. In fact, his 124 OPS+ for this season is the highest mark it has ever been for a season with more than 100 plate appearances. He doesn't hit the ball as hard as one might hope for a guy with a 6'5" frame but his low chase rate helps lift his walk rate to 10.3% and his on-base percentage is higher than any Mariner except for Victor Robles.

Despite his strengths, Stallings would be more of an offensive upgrade than a real secondary option at catcher. His blocking skills are excellent but his pitch framing is in the 11th percentile, something that could reduce the effectiveness of the Mariners' best weapon: their pitching.

Stallings is on a very affordable, one-year, $2 million contract with a mutual option in 2025. Mutual options are rarely ever exercised so he'll likely hit the free agent market instead, making him a true rental bat.

C Elias Díaz - .279/.329/.395

Another catcher option could be the Rockies' first-string starter. After making his first all-star appearance in 2023, he's arguably having a better year in 2024. With a 101 OPS+, he's on pace to have the best offensive year since a partial year with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2018.

His quality of contact numbers are quite poor and despite having good bat speed, he rarely squares up the ball enough to hit it with real authority. Nonetheless, he's striking out at a respectable 17.8% clip and is still hitting for a relatively high average.

Where he really makes his money is his defense as he's in the top quartile for caught stealing, framing, and pop time. With Díaz taking over some reps at catcher, Cal Raleigh could be available to rest or DH more, both options that could boost his cumulative offensive output.

Díaz is on the final year of a three-year, $14.5 million contract and will become a free agent at the end of the year.