Mariners Slated to be Major Buyers at Trade Deadline

Last week, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly named the Seattle Mariners as one of eight potential buyers at the MLB trade deadline. Rumors have certainly been circulating regarding all-star names such as Luis Robert Jr. and Pete Alonso calling Seattle home by the end of the month, and Kelly believes that "maybe more than any other GM, Dipoto needs to make a big splash this summer."

Expect an Active Trade Deadline for the Seattle Mariners in 2024

He is correct that the Mariners need a shot in the arm in terms of upgrading the lineup. While the starting rotation has been stellar, Seattle is in the bottom third of the league in runs scored, batting average, and OPS, and also leads the MLB in strikeouts.

The Mariners have a few players having decent seasons at the plate, such as Luke Raley, Josh Rojas, and more recently, Tyler Locklear. The issue is that with Julio Rodriguez having struggled to start the season, Seattle's complete lack of top-end offensive talent has been evident. No Mariner who has played a significant amount has an OPS north of .800.

The Mariners being buyers at the deadline may give them a legitimate chance to compete this season. Despite the lineup's ineptitude, the pitching staff has carried this team to a massive division lead. Acquiring Alonso or Brent Rooker, sluggers who have demonstrated success both this year and in previous seasons could be exactly what Seattle needs to be a serious contender.

The team could also opt for multiple smaller deals instead of one large one. Rather than adding a star and losing top prospects, they could aim to address two to three needs at a lesser caliber. Randy Arozarena is a potential buy-low candidate, and former Mariner Paul Sewald has been linked to the team to help the bullpen, another need.

I would be most excited to see the Mariners make another big splash like they did when trading for Luis Castillo. That move has aged tremendously for Seattle, as Castillo is now a part of perhaps the best starting rotation in baseball. A Robert Jr. trade would be a similar addition of an extremely talented player, and unlike Castillo at the time, Robert still has multiple years of team control.

Whichever path Jerry Dipoto chooses to take, it's clear that a busy trade deadline such as the one Fowler predicted should be on the horizon. Despite leading the division, the Mariners are not good enough to stand pat. Seattle fans should soon have multiple new players to root for.