3 trade targets the Mariners need to revisit after signing Mitch Garver

The Mariners were given a Christmas miracle when they were able to sign DH, Mitch Garver, to a two-year deal, worth $24 million (there is a third-year mutual option, but not much is known as far as structure). This gives a huge boost to a lineup that desperately lacked a middle of the order prescence after the departures of Teoscar Hernandez and Eugenio Suarez. Garver, at his contract, is a bargain considering MLBTraderumors.com had him at three years and $39 million.

What's next? The Mariners are most certainly not done. Dipoto knows that they are still probably one-and-a-half bats short (a corner outfielder as well as a platoon option in the other corner outfield). The next move is just as important as the first one. The last few years the Mariners have continuously been 1 bat short, and it really hurt them. It is imperative for Dipoto to follow up the Garver deal with another solid bat and keep the momentum rolling.

The Mariners have been linked to pretty much every bat this offseason. We have talked about all sorts of free agents they should target as well as countless trade options they could explore. Let's take a look at 3 trade targets the Mariners should revisit after the Mitch Garver signing.

Max Kepler

Kepler is arguably the most affordable player on this list (and my personal favorite) due to some inconsistencies, as well as being a one-year rental bat. There is no denying his fit with this club though. Kepler has put up at least 2 wins in every season since his full season debut in 2016 (minus the 2020 COVID season where he put up 1.1 fWAR in 48 games).

He fits the CTZ mold to a tee as well with career 18.4% strikeout rate and a 10.1% walk rate. He hits the ball extremely hard (highest average exit velocity of his career at 91.9 mph), he barreled the ball up extremely well (12.2% barrel % was the highest of his career) and his xwOBA (.362) was the highest of his career, and his left-handed power bat would be awesome to see in Seattle (baseball savant shows he would've hit 29 home runs in Seattle in 2023).

The inconsistencies with Kepler look to be gone. He has always hit the ball relatively hard, but like I said his 2023 exit velocity was the highest of his career, and his barrel rate was nearly double his career averages. If Kepler can duplicate that, he could put up similar or even better numbers. He was always up and dwon putting up a 122 wRC+ in 2019, a 109 in 2020, a 97 and 95 in 2021 and 2022, before breaking out with a 124 wRC+ in 2023.

Keplers defense, left-handed power stroke and ability to control the zone are a perfect fit for the Mariners if the cost is right. He's on a one-year deal worth $10 million, so the financial cost as well as acquisitional cost shouldn't be too steep.

I think maybe a Cade Marlowe and a bullpen arm could do it. Or if they would take prospects (I would much prefer this route) then I could see like Jonatan Clase and Emerson Hancock working for both sides.

Anthony Santander

Santander is arguably the best pure bat the Mariners could still acquire (outside of maybe Bellinger, but they seem to be out of his price range). In the last 2 years, Santander is 30th in slugging percentage and 15th in home runs, thats right there with guys like Bo Bichette, Juan Soto, and Julio Rodriguez, yet we never hear much about him.

Santander is almost a sure-fire guy to post a 120 wRC+ with around 30 home runs (though Statcast predicted he would've hit 39 home runs in Seattle last year). Adding his switch-hitting bat to the middle of the lineup would start to really make the Mariners a threat for the AL West title. Santander isn't a great defender, having him and Canzone in the corner spots doesn't give you a great defensive outfield, but you are getting him for the offense (though he can play some first base).

Santander is going to be the most expensive player on this list, both in terms of financial cost (projected $14.1 million in arbitration via MLB Traderumors), as well as the acquisitional cost, though it shouldn't be too painful considering he is a one-year rental. The trade package could be similar to that of Teoscar Hernandez's (who's arbitration numbers are ironically the same) deal last year when the Mariners sent Erik Swanson and Adam Macko to the Blue Jays for the right fielder. Both are offensive minded right fielders on a relatively high arbitration number, to a team that needs or needed pitching. I am not sure if the Orioles would be interested, but a deal like Justin Topa and Emerson Hancock might pique their interest; or more bulk, high upside could be something like Justin Topa, Walter Ford/Michael Morales, and another top 15 prospect.