Under-the-radar Mariners trade target is suddenly among MLB's hottest hitters

As we approach the Aug. 3 trade deadline, you might have heard once or 100 times that the Mariners would like a quality right-handed bat who can hit lefties. There's been a number of players considered, including Taylor Ward of the Orioles. However, an underrated Plan B has now come to the fore, in Royals outfielder Lane Thomas.

Giving full kudos to SoDo Mojo's Zachary Rymer, he has had Thomas on the radar as a potential fit with the Mariners for a while. Well, the 30-year-old is now finally getting some attention, with MLB.com's Mark Feinsand listing him as one of 10 players who've boosted their trade stock. And understandably so, with him on a tear of late.

Thomas has been hitting .263 with seven home runs, a .868 OPS and 135 wRC+ since June 13. He's been even better over the past 17 games, batting .333 with four homers, a 1.040 OPS and 183 wRC+. Yes, as Feinsand noted, the 2014 fifth-round pick did have an underwhelming start to the season, but you'd still take his overall productivity, given how subpar the Mariners lineup has been in 2026.

On the subject of what the Mariners would take, their struggles versus left-handed pitching specifically is well documented, ranking tied-last with a .215 batting average and outright last with a .634 OPS. Even allowing for his early-season struggles, Thomas is batting .267 with a .785 OPS and 120 wRC+ against southpaws. And for his career he's even better, hitting .289 with a .848 OPS and 132 wRC+.

The more you delve into Lane Thomas, the more reasons there are for the Mariners to make a move for him

You can contend that Ward would be a preference for a lot of Mariners fans, but with the Orioles playing better of late, Thomas might be more attainable. As much as he would effectively be a short-term rental, the price is extremely affordable. The Knoxville, Tennessee native is on a one-year deal worth $5.25 million, meaning the M's would be on the hook for around $1.75 million.

One sticking point for some would be if it makes sense for the Mariners to carry both Thomas and Rob Refsnyder, but that may be up to the latter, who is currently on a rehab assignment. It's no secret Refsnyder has been an absolute disaster in Seattle. As things stand, he has a tentative timeline to return sometime between the end of July and early August.

However, it's entirely feasible that the Mariners are now at a point where if they don't think they can count on Refsnyder, maybe they simply won't. Genuinely, Thomas seems like the kind of player who can help the team, with the added bonus of being a versatile outfielder with sprint speed and arm strength which both rank in the top decile.

Finally, we can appreciate if any Mariners fans are concerned that Thomas could befall the same fate as Refsnyder, having to play half of his games at the 'cavernous' T-Mobile Park. However, while the sample size of 33 career plate appearances in Seattle is small, there's still enough promise there with a .323 batting average and .848 OPS.

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