Mariners Rumors: MLB Insider indicates Mariners could look to address second base

After a tremendous start to June (where the Mariners became one of the hottest teams in baseball), they stumbled through the end of the month, and it couldn't have come at a worse time. The Astros and Rangers have gotten hot and the Mariners look just as lost as they did to start the season.

As the calendar turns to July and the trade rumors start to really dominate the talk of the club, the Mariners will undoubtedly be at the forefront of a lot of those trades, and rightfully so.

After an offseason that saw a massive overhaul, including starters in five of the nine starting offensive positions and a number of new faces (and even one familiar face), however, they just haven't worked out. The new additions have been nothing but an utter disappointment and the core group of offensive bats have been a failure.

In a very busy offseason, Jorge Polanco was one of the biggest additions to this lineup. Yet, as we sit here, more than halfway through the season, Jorge Polanco has arguably been the worst Mariners hitter (he is the worst by wRC+). In his 51 games, he only has five home runs and is slashing .197/.285/.298 with a 32% strikeout rate. The Mariners, yet again, have another black hole as they push towards a postseason berth and division title.

Jon Morosi states that the Seattle Mariners could be a team interested in Chicago Cubs 2B, Nico Hoerner

As the trade deadline nears, there may not be a lot of options for the Mariners to address second base. Their best option may be to either acquire a third baseman and move Josh Rojas back to second base or to let Ryan Bliss get more playing time.

However, if the Mariners are serious about making a playoff push this year, then they need to explore external options, and the latest MLB Insider has mentioned the Mariners as a potential fit for Chicago Cubs second baseman, Nico Hoerner.

Nico Hoerner isn't the impact bat that will come in and transform this lineup, but he adds a completely different element to this group. Hoerner is a high average, high walk rate, and low strikeout rate second baseman who is an elite base stealer. He is also fresh off a Gold Glove that would give the Mariners an elite defender to pair in the middle with JP Crawford.

So far this year, Hoerner is slashing .248/.334/.348 with four home runs and 14 stolen bases. He has a solid 9.1% walk rate and remember how I said that he never strikes out? His strikeout rate is 11.3%, less than half of what most of the Mariners' lineup is currently producing.

The other thing that might appeal to Dipoto is the controllability of Hoerner. The Cubs second baseman is under control through 2026 at just $11.5M next year and $12M in 2026.

Hoerner adds a different element to the Mariners while giving them a higher floor. This could be a very interesting and underrated move at the trade deadline for Dipoto and Hollander. I am all for this move as the Mariners have too many inconsistencies right now and adding a contact guy that can get on base and cause some chaos ball like the video above, could be very advantageous for the Seattle Mariners offense.