Part 3: The third and final piece of a Mariners blowup would be trading JP Crawford
In this three-part series, the Mariners go scorched earth. The Mariners have traded Julio Rodriguez and Luis Castillo. Who is next? J.P. Crawford. In a hypothetical video game world is where these ideas live.
J.P. Crawford, the heart and soul of the Seattle Mariners, is the next victim in the series. Remember that this is all hypothetical, a "what could happen if they blew it all up" look at something that would reshape the Mariners in their entirety. Manning the shortstop position is not easy. Shortstop prospects get moved off the spot all the time to play different positions.
The Seattle Mariners have been blessed to have Crawford at the shortstop position. As of late, Crawford has provided veteran leadership, a steady glove, and most importantly a consistent offensive force. In this series, we have traded Julio Rodriguez and Luis Castillo. What does a video game trade of J.P. Crawford bring back to the Mariners... and is it worth it?
Would a young SS, dominant RP, and a former top prospect be enough to trade JP Crawford?
The Mariners have been rebuilding since pretty much the 2001 season. With limited success, fans are thirsty for a World Series winner. With only one playoff appearance since the magical 2001 season, Mariner fans are ready to win. The question is, can J.P. Crawford be a part of that equation? After putting up a career year in 2023, A trade of Crawford might serve the team well in the near and short term.
Mariners receive: RP Camilo Doval, SS Marco Luciano, C Joey Bart
Giants receive: SS JP Crawford, SP Cole Phillips
The Mariners get an intriguing young shortstop in Marco Luciano, a former high-end prospect in Joey Bart, and an electric reliever in Camilo Doval. The Mariners get a cheap and long-term option in Luciano, who at the age of 22 comes in at #39 on the MLB top 100 prospects. Joey Bart provides depth at the catcher position and still has a little prospect shine left on him even though he is 27. Camilo Doval is a hulk of an arm, paired with Matt Brash, Gregory Santos, and Andres Munoz, the Mariners bullpen is flame-throwing and high octane.
After all the trades in this series the Mariners have kept a strong starting rotation, added Luis Robert, built a four-inning bullpen, and built an even stronger farm system. I can't fathom a world where Julio, Luis Castillo, and J.P. are traded, but it's fun to build teams in the make-believe to see "what if". Off the heels of this series and the announcement of MLB The Show 2024, which Julio was a prime candidate for, expect some MLB The Show 2024 content to come down the Sodo Mojo pipeline.