Mariners could look to make a second trade with the Rays to add another bat

After acquiring Randy Arozarena from the Rays late Thursday night, the word on the street is that the Mariners are not done looking for offensive help. Don't get me wrong, Randy Arozarena is great. He will be penciled in to play every day in left field, and the Mariners did not overpay to acquire him. But looking at the Mariners roster right now, they still need another bat or two.

The Mariners can still take a "Best player available" approach to trades. They don't really have any players set in stone, besides Cal Ralegh at catcher and Julio Rodriguez in center. Julio is currently on the 10-day injured list with a high ankle sprain, and he really does not have a timetable to return yet. Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford is also on the injured list with a fractured pinky, and will miss 4-6 weeks.

The offense was struggling with Julio and J.P. in the lineup, and the thought of the offense getting even worse is scary. I think that is why the Mariners have been aggressive in the trade market. It has been reported by multiple sources that the Mariners have been in on all of the top offensive players that have been ruored to be on the trade block. One of those names is Yandy Diaz with the Rays, even though the Mariners already made a big trade with the Rays.

Should the Mariners trade for Yandy Diaz?

Yandy Diaz may not be a household name, but he should be. Diaz led the league in batting average in 2023 when he hit .330. He also hit 22 home runs and finished sixth in MVP voting. He was also an All-Star in 2023 and won the Silver Slugger Award as well. This year, Diaz is off to a slower start but is still having a great season. He is slashing .273/.329/.396/.726 with an OPS+ of 109.

While Mariners fans may balk at the sight od Yandy's stats this year, keep in mind the production the Mariners have got from their first baseman in 2024. Ty France was slashing just .223/.312/.350/.662 with an OPS+ of 95. Wouldn't you love to see a 14% production increase at first base? Could you get more? Sure, but Diaz has proven to be an outstanding hitter, which is exactly what the Mariners need.

What would a Yandy Diaz trade look like?

This deal could look very similar to the Randy Arozarena deal the Mariners made. The Rays get two prospects, both of who have really high upside. Tai Peete was a first round pick by the Mariners last year, and is the 8th-ranked prospect for the Mariners, according to MLB Pipeline. Walter Ford has had slow progression since he was the 74th overall pick in the 2022 draft. Ford is still just 19 years old, and had all of the physical traits to be a great pitcher.

If the Mariners can get Diaz anywhere close to this price, I think they have to make this deal. The Mariners need some production from first base, something they have not had since 2022. Coincidentally, that was the last time the Mariners made the playoffs.

I still think there is more to come, and this lineup is going to look completely different this time next week. As always, Go Mariners!