Mariners Monday morning mailbag: Trades, the offense, and the All-Star break

Can you believe we have made it to All-Star Week already? It’s been an eventful week for the Mariners, both good and bad. Despite a 52-46 record and holding first place by a game, their grip on the AL West is in danger, and the concerns over the offense continue to ring louder and louder. On the positive side, it appears that Seattle had a strong night last night at the MLB Draft, continuing to strengthen an already highly-rated farm system. 

In our first Monday morning mailbag post of the season, the farm system and what the Mariners will do with their prospects dominated the questions asked on social media. So, without further ado, let’s dive into your questions. 

Do you think Jerry and Co will actually swing a trade for a big bat or do you think they will make a couple minor trades that just tinker with the lineup a little?

Depends on what you consider to be a “big bat”. Luis Robert has the potential to be a true star in the game, but injuries and inconsistencies do not make him a slam-dunk trade target. When you factor in the reports that the Chicago White Sox are looking for a Juan Soto-esque level of compensation, Robert doesn't seem realistic for a team that, frankly, needs more than just Robert to go deep in October. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the biggest name on the market for this year's deadline and all the smoke indicates that Toronto wants to hold on to him until at least the winter. All it takes is a great offer though, to make arguably the most disappointing team in baseball consider jump-starting their rebuild.

With this year's Wild Card chase so bunched up in both leagues, it's going to be really difficult to find a star bat. Seattle could look to division rival Oakland and Brent Rooker. He'd bring firepower to the lineup, but he's mostly a DH at this point. Recognizable names such as Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm, Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena, and Jesse Winker are the most likely bigger names to be traded. This is not the year for going all in at the deadline for stars.

Look for Jerry and company to beef up the lineup by acquiring one of the bats noted above, and then two or three veterans that could come in and help get this lineup closer to the middle of the pack in hitting rather than flirting with dead last. That could be the difference in winning the AL West, or missing the playoffs again.