3 savvy deadline deals to propel Mariners to AL West crown

Landing Hunter Harvey, an elite reliever, to help shorten games

The extra wild cards have created a scenario in which few quality bats are available, or their price is immense. Would you give up Laz Montes and two or three other top-30 prospects for a power-starved (4 HR) Vlad Guerrero Jr? Or how about Jonny Farmelo and Jeter Martinez for impending free agent Pete Alonso? I don't think the Mariners will either. But they will double down on their strength and look for another high-leverage closer to help spread the workload with Andres Munoz. 

Hunter Harvey, the Washington Nationals' setup man, is the right guy for the job. The 29-year-old reliever has had an excellent season, running a 29.5% strikeout rate and holding opposing batters to a .216 average. 

Harvey brings another triple-digit four-seamer to the bullpen, but the key offering is his split-finger, which he throws a quarter of the time. The two pitches have propelled Harvey into the 96th percentile in missing barrels (1.7%). Adding him to Munoz, Stanek, and a healthy Gregory Santos could effectively shorten games and help Servais lean into the team's foundation, its pitching. 

This one will hurt because of Harvey's performance and the amount of playoff contenders needing bullpen help. A combination of Michael Arroyo and Dylan Wilson would be a starting point for the conversation. 

These moves aren't flashy, but they are precisely what the team needs to realize its potential and take advantage of an open window to the AL West crown.