Royce Lewis simply can't be the Byron Buxton pivot if Mariners deal with Twins

The MLB trade deadline is only about four weeks away. You know, just in case anyone was wondering why the Seattle Mariners' potential trade targets are growing in scope. Heck, even we didn't have Royce Lewis on our bingo card as a Byron Buxton alternative.

The idea comes from Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, who had Lewis listed in the "Go get 'em" section of his latest piece on the Mariners' trade deadline outlook. It's a fun idea, precisely because of the boxes Lewis checks:

• Former No. 1 Pick: Check
• Right-Handed Bat: Check
• Can Play 3B, 1B and DH: Check
• Controllable Beyond 2026: Check
• No No-Trade Clause: Check

You'll have to pardon our awkward wording on that last one, but it's important because it puts Lewis in stark contrast with Buxton. He does have a no-trade clause in his $100 million contract, and he has made it crystal-clear that he won't be waiving it.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old Lewis has been back on an upswing since rejoining the Minnesota Twins following a brief banishment to the minor leagues. He's played in 18 games and raised his OPS for the season from .539 to .659, with five doubles and four homers.

Even so, it cannot be emphasized strongly enough that we've seen this movie before. Lewis' ability to get hot is one of his hallmarks, but it's his other hallmarks that define him. One is near-constant injuries. Another is generally bad defense. Still another is frequent coldness, best seen in how he only has a .288 OBP over his last 933 major league plate appearances.

This is the yada-yada version of Lewis' MLB history, but the basic truth is that he's been an unreliable, basically replacement-level player for three years now. If a team should take a chance on him as a change-of-scenery candidate, it shouldn't be one with World Series aspirations.

What about Ryan Jeffers as a Byron Buxton Plan B for the Mariners?

It really is a shame about Buxton, as he and his MLB-leading 25 home runs from the right side would have fit nicely in a Mariners lineup that lacks right-handed thump. And, alas, it's looking like slim pickings otherwise as far as talented righty bats on the summer market.

There is, however, also Ryan Jeffers on the Twins.

He hasn't been seriously connected to the Mariners, and all signs indeed point toward the New York Yankees as his primary landing spot. That's probably related to how Jeffers plays catcher, a spot notably occupied by 2025 AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh in Seattle.

But what if the Mariners viewed Jeffers as a righty hitter first, and a catcher second? That way, the first thing they can see is a solidly above-average 121 wRC+ across the last four seasons. The second thing they can see is a career 140 wRC+ against lefties, which showcases a skill that is badly needed in Seattle.

Even pondering this fit requires assuming that Jeffers won't have any setbacks in his recovery from a broken hamate. It's also assuming he would get enough at-bats in timeshares with Raleigh at catcher and Dominic Canzone and Luke Raley at DH as a Mariner.

What's for sure, though, is that the Mariners could beat whatever offer the Yankees and pretty much any other team can make for Jeffers. Seattle's farm system is arguably the best in MLB, and therefore stocked to potentially overpay to rent Jeffers for the remainder of 2026 before he becomes a free agent.

It would be a risk for the Mariners, but at least one with a high probability of paying off. If they're going to deal with Minnesota, better that than a no-shot on Buxton and a long-shot on Lewis.

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