Would Jerry Dipoto re-do the Mariners-Diamondbacks Ketel Marte trade?

The case against the Ketel Marte trade: Keeping Ketel

When Ketel Marte is on, the dude is incredible. Good enough to be the best player on your team levels of good. Don't forget his 2019 season, when he finished 4th in MVP voting. He hit an astounding .329/.389/.592 with 32 HR, 39 2B, and ten steals, all while playing above-average defense that totalled in a 6.9 WAR.

He was 25, and the sky was the limit. With a 3.9 WAR the season before that, it seemed like the Diamondbacks had won the trade. COVID slowed things down, Although his 1.5 WAR that year translates to a 4.1 WAR mark, another great season.

He was down a bit, but has turned it back on in 2023 and so far in 2024. He was a 4.9 WAR player last season, and is a 2.7 WAR through just 48 games, which would be a 8.1 (!) mark if he plays 144 games. You don't ever want to give up a player like that. He's signed through his age-34 season for a fantastic deal (5YR/$76M), that pays out evenly at $15.2 per season.

To have that at second base? And in a poor man Mookie Betts mold of being able to play some short and outfield as well? That's insanely valuable. It's not just Marte, as the Diamondbacks got some value out of Taijuan Walker as well, although he was down for a bit before resurfacing the last couple of years as a reliable mid range starter.

Throw in Jean Segura (who we will get to on the next page) and the Mariners have given up about 41.5 WAR from trading away Marte + Walker + Segura. Marte is the key here, and having a near .300 hitter with power and a little bit of speed, who plays versatile and good defense, and finds the gaps as well... well, it's hard to pass that up even if you get a good return. Especially when you are getting him through his prime and into his early-30s.