Mariners' fans lose desired rotation option in trade to Brewers

Normally I agree with the moves that the Mariners Front Office makes. Not necessarily because I like the players involved but because they make sense. Trading for Polanco made sense. So did signing Mitch Garver. Neither of them are working out so far, but they both made sense. Then there are the moves that I just don't understand, like the one that happened this afternoon in a midday trade between the Mariners and the Brewers.

Bryan Woo left the series opener against the Rays with a hamstring injury, another in a long 2024 list of injuries that he has seen occur to derail his otherwise stellar 2024. This meant that the Mariners were going to need to find a replacement, and soon, to bring a starter in to take on innings while waiting for Woo to come back. There weren't many options available in what is one of the thinner SP farm systems in all of baseball.

Instead, the Mariners have made a trade with the Brewers and actually weakened their starting pitching depth. They sent Dallas Keuchel to the Brew Crew for cash, offloading the longtime vet before he ever saw the Mariners major league roster.

The Mariners traded Dallas Keuchel to the Brewers and it makes no sense.

I don't understand this move, and am trying to wrap my head around it. All they are getting out of it is cash, and nothing else. They sent out a player that was many a fans top choice to actually call up to the Majors to take on some innings while Woo was hurt, and even stick around in a long relief role to keep the pressure off of both Woo and the bullpen.

Instead, money.

I guess that's the reason that it unfortunately makes sense. All Stanton cares about is short-term money and limiting his spending and cash flow. For an owner who just recently came out and said the team was in position to add at the deadline, within a week or so he went out and offloaded a piece that could be useful to the Mariners for nothing more than cab fare.

Par for the course, I guess.

This move leaves the Mariners without many options to replace Woo for the time being, as Hancock is hurt as well, and some of the other Rainiers pitchers have been struggling. Jhonathan Diaz is the only real option, so it's likely going to be him coming back up.

I don't like the move, and it seems cheap and makes me feel a bit dirty knowing it was done for just cash. No low-level prospect. Nothing to improve the team. Just cash. Gotta fuel that yacht somehow.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong, and somehow it will all make sense. That's the hope, at least. For now, fans a plenty are left shaking their head and wondering what the plan is right now with the Mariners to fill their starting pitching vacancy, and what ownership is going to do about it.