3 savvy deadline deals to propel Mariners to AL West crown

This week, the esteemed MLB Insider Jeff Passan, renowned for his in-depth knowledge and analysis, joined the Seattle Sports 710 morning show Brock and Salk to discuss all things Mariners. He shed light on the team's strategy of threading the needle in trades and how that might not be the most effective approach this year if they aspire to make a deep playoff run. What does that mean?

The Mariners' front office is consistently looking for players with control who can contribute now and in the future. Guys like Luis Castillo, Kolten Wong, Teoscar Hernandez, and Jorge Polanco. Notable names in this category include Luis Castillo, Kolten Wong, Teoscar Hernandez, and Jorge Polanco. As of May 21st, 2024, only one of those trades has proven successful (Castillo). 

Passan highlighted players with no control (Pete Alonso) and minimal control (Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero Jr.) as possible options if general manager Justin Hollander wants to take advantage of the team's cost-controlled pitching. Despite the potential challenges, such as Jerry Dipoto's tendency to acquire block prospects (Canzone, Haniger) and players casual fans have never heard of before, there is hope.

The extra wild cards might diminish the number of sellers and ultimately exclude stars from the team's trade deadline wish list. We'll subscribe to those 'rules' and highlight three under-the-radar acquisitions that could help the Mariners capture the American League West crown, sparking optimism for the team's future.