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Bleacher Report names the Mariners as the best landing spot for these 3 players
With a ton of really good players still available, we take a look at a recent Bleacher Report article, where the Mariners were identified as the best landing spot for 3 players on the trade block.
Two of the biggest names have already moved this offseason in Juan Soto and Tyler Glasnow. With that, there are certainly going to be more trades made, not all of similar magnitude, but there are some very good names on the trade block this winter. A lot of names have already been made available as teams like the Brewers and White Sox have good pitching and are looking to transition to a rebuild or retool.
The Mariners will definitely be active in the trade market, as Jerry Dipoto has obviously preferred this route of player acquisition. Even after the Mitch Garver signing, they will need two outfielders and possibly even another starter and reliever.
Bleacher Report recently came out with an article, "The best landing spot for each MLB player rumored to be on the trade block." Now, there are a lot of names on that list that the Mariners should be interested in, but whether it be the cost of acquisition or the matchup between the two teams, there are other teams that are better landing spots. Of the 15 players that they list, the Mariners were listed as the best landing spot for three different players. Let's take a look at the fit of the player and the potential cost to acquire said player.
Honorable Mention - Mariners are 2nd or 3rd best fit for these two players
Before we get into the three that the Mariners were listed as the best landing spot for, I wanted to touch on two very interesting players that the Mariners were listed as a potential fit for, just not the best.
No. 14 Jorge Polanco
I am a big fan of Polanco, and he would allow you to set him as the everyday second baseman while platooning Josh Rojas and Luis Urias at third base. He has had trouble staying healthy, but he has been a really solid player when he plays. He is on a one-year deal so the cost to acquire him wouldn't be very expensive.
No. 6 Christian Yelich
The next name on the list, who checked in at number six, is a name we have talked about once or twice this offseason, Christian Yelich. The trade to acquire Yelich would be pretty messy, as Yelich still has five years and $130 million remaining on his contract. It would take the Brewers eating a massive chunk of that, and I don't see a package working out for both teams considering the Mariners budget constraints. If they could get Yelich down to $15 million a year, though, he is still a very solid player, putting up a 4.1 fWAR season in 2023.
No. 13 on the list - Max Kepler
We have talked at nauseum about the Mariners adding Max Kepler (as I have stated numerous times, he is my favorite bat the Mariners could realistically acquire). Kepler just fits this team like a glove, and I am going to keep pushing for the Mariners to make this move. Find any sort of package without dealing Ty France or one of the pitchers and I am sure I will be fine with it, as long as it doesn't involve any of the top 5 prospects or so.
Max Kepler's fit on this team (and park) is undeniable; a power-hitting, "CTZ" type guy, that is an excellent defender and relatively cheap, what more could you ask for? Kepler has averaged 2.7 fWAR over his 7 full seasons (excluding the COVID year). His walk rate (10.1%) and strikeout rate (18.4%) fit perfectly with what Dipoto is trying to do with this lineup.
But in case anyone wasn't looking, the 30-year-old is back now. Kepler had an .816 OPS and 24 home runs overall this year, and he came out of the season especially hot by way of a .306/.377/.549 slash line and 12 long balls in the second half.
Bleacher Report hit the nail on the head here by saying, "The Mariners badly need an offensive upgrade in right after the guys they used there ranked 27th with a .680 OPS this year." The corner outfield spots are positions you must get offensive output from, and with Jarred Kelenic and Teoscar Hernandez gone, Kepler would be the idea guy to slot in there to replace that production.
No. 8 on the list - Jonathan India
Where Bleacher Report hit the nail on the head with the Kepler one (and the next one), this is a huge swing and miss. First of all, Jonathan India checks in at number eight on this list, ahead of guys like Ha-Seong Kim, Christopher Morel, and Jake Cronenworth (all guys I would much rather have on my team).
Jonathan India should not be involved in any sort of Mariners trade discussions. He is a redundant player considering they have a group of Jose Caballero, Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty. India played in 119 games and put up a 99 wRC+ with 1.2 fWAR. For Comparison Caballero played in only 104 games, with a 96 wRC+, putting up a 2.2 fWAR; Dylan Moore played in only 67 games with a 105 wRC+, and still was able to put up a .7 fWAR. See the point here? I am not even confident that India is an upgrade over either Caballero or Dylan Moore, yet he's scheduled to make $3.2 million in his first year of arbitration.
The other thing with India is that there will be an acquisition cost to get him. It wouldn't cost you Miller or Woo, but I wouldn't even trade Emerson Hancock for him, and I wouldn't be trading anyone out of the bullpen for him either. Heck, I am not even sure I would trade any one of the top 10 prospects in the Mariners system for him. With the limited budget and India making as much as Dylan Moore, adding India would be a huge mistake for the Mariners, as there is a high likelihood, he is a utility infielder and one that puts up a lower fWAR than Caballero, Moore, Rojas and Urias.
No. 5 on the list - Randy Arozarena
Arozarena checks in at number five on this list from Bleacher Report, he was the number one offensive player on the list, however. Arozarena is arguably the best player the Mariners could realistically acquire, but he will be the most expensive player as well. There is no denying that he would be the second or third best hitter in the Mariners lineup. He would give them a solid corner outfielder, one that you can expect to put up a 20-home run and 20 stolen base season.
Arozarena isn't an expensive player, but for the Mariners with a limited budget, adding his projected $9 million in arbitration, leaves the Mariners a little tight. They would certainly have to trade Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo (unless somehow, they were to swing it with prospects or a three-team trade), and in doing so, you need to still add at least one or two starting pitchers still. Considering the pitching market with Frankie Montas getting $16 million, this might put the Mariners in a bit of a pickle.
That Arozarena would be an upgrade is a point that doesn't require much in the way of elaboration. With three straight 20-20 seasons in his rearview, the 28-year-old is simply one of the most dynamic offensive players in the business. What's more, he's under club control through 2026. The Mariners would thus have three chances to make the most of his presence in the Pacific Northwest.
I am all for getting Arozarena, though I don't think the Mariners can financially afford to take on his salary as well as sign another starting pitcher (unless Stanton and ownership change their stance). Like Zachary Rymer stated on Bleacher Report, Arozarena is under control through 2026, giving the Mariners a few chances to make a run with him as part of the core.
Acquiring Arozarena would be tricky, but this might have the biggest impact for the Mariners offense and the Mariners should reach back out to the Rays to see if they could come up with a prospect package to get him to the Pacific Northwest.