Baseball cards, bubble gum, and filling the void

I'm a big fan of baseball history. It all started when I opened my first pack of Topps baseball cards, looking for Mariners to add to my collection while suffering through that stale piece of gum. Oh, the nostalgia. That may be why I follow the old guys in the game; Miggy Cabrera, Clayton Kershaw, and Salvador Perez are just a few.

According to longtime MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal, Perez is apparently on the trade block as the Kansas City Royals look to shed salary this summer.

The traditional statistics are upgrades over any of the players the Mariners penciled into the designated hitter spot, but Perez adds more value. The 33-year-old is also having a terrific year behind the plate, elevating his pitch framing and converting 55.6% of non-swing pitches at the top of the strike zone into called strikes. He is also the only MLB catcher to make more than 30 starts without committing an error. 

Perez has also played first base over the past few years as the Royals looked to keep the wear and tear down. That positional flexibility and veteran leadership from a World Series winner would help this club tremendously. Think Carlos Santana acquisition, but a step above, because Perez has been to the mountain top and came out victorious. The Mariners have a hole in their clubhouse. They desperately need a veteran voice who has been there before.

This uneven season has seen many players deviate from the organizational philosophy of dominating the zone. The telling statistic are the strikeouts. Four Mariners are in the Top 10 in this category (Hernandez, Rodriguez, Suarez, and Kelenic). The team gives away too many at bats and the recipe for offensive success includes going back to their roots. Perez can be that calming voice in the clubhouse.

Now, the tough conversation. The eleven-year veteran is signed through 2025 with a club option for 2026. A controllable player with value sounds like a Dipoto-type acquisition until you look at the cost. Perez is owed $42M through 2025. However, a team that went bargain shopping in the offseason doesn't jump into the uncomfortable $20M AAV waters. But they might because the Royals hope to pair Perez with one of the most dominant relievers in the league.

Big Haul, Bigger Cost

Hear me out. The old saying you have to give up something to get something holds true. Especially when acquiring relief in a market that will be screaming for bullpen arms the quality of Scott Barlow.
Face it, the Mariners will have to overpay because they will compete with numerous teams for these players. This is a trade worth ponying up prospects for because of the return isn't centered on three-month rentals, but veterans who will be around for at least another two years. President of Baseball Operations, Jerry Dipoto expressed his desire to acquire controllable talent recently with Brock and Salk (Seattle Sports 710).

1. Trade Package #: Mariners Win

Mariners acquire Salvador Perez and Scott Barlow. Royals acquire Bryan Woo, Taylor Trammell, and Taylor Dollard.

2. Trade Package #2: Royals Win

Mariners acquire Salvador Perez and Scott Barlow. Royals acquire Bryan Woo, Taylor Trammell, Taylor Dollard, Michael Morales

One trade package has General Manager Justin Hollander sending a power-speed threat in Trammell, the flamethrowing Woo, and the team's 2022 Minor League Pitcher of the Year in Dollard to Kansas City. That is a highly competitive package. The Royals might ask for more upside pitching, I'd throw in Michael Morales or Juan Pinto to get it across the finish line (Package 2). These transactions would allow the team to keep Emerson Hancock, Harry Ford, Cole Young, and some exciting arms in the Arizona Complex League and Dominican Summer League.

The veteran leadership Perez would provide, teamed with Barlow's ability to help bridge the starters to Munoz and Sewald, is invaluable for a team struggling to find consistency. The nostalgia of seeing the old guy in a Mariners uniform would be a sight. Where's that stale gum when you need it?