Why Mariners boss Jerry Dipoto must act like his job is on the line ahead of trade deadline

The Seattle Mariners are once again barreling towards the trade deadline in need of help.

Ben Williamson has been lackluster at third base. Right field has been a turntable of players, from the injured Victor Robles to Leody Taveras, Dylan Moore, and now Dominic Canzone. First base is an experimental platoon between Donovan Solano and Luke Raley. Mitch Garver has struggled as a backup catcher. And the bullpen could use another high-leverage arm behind Andrés Muñoz and Matt Brash.

No matter how you slice it, there are real holes in this Mariners roster. At 40-37, the M's are still very much alive in the AL Wild Card chase, currently 0.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians for the third spot. In the AL West, Seattle has fallen 4.5 games behind the Houston Astros, but still has time to take back first place.

Why Jerry Dipoto may need an aggressive trade deadline to save his Mariners job

However, it is likely only going to happen if the team gets aggressive ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. The Mariners do not have much more help coming internally. Logan Gilbert and George Kirby have returned to the rotation. Raley is back in the lineup and Brash is back in the bullpen. Victor Robles and Ryan Bliss are questionable to return in September, but by then it could be too late.

Cole Young, Williamson and Canzone have already been called up from Triple-A Tacoma. Harry Ford and Tyler Locklear could potentially be called up as reinforcements this summer, but neither can play third base or right field or throw from the pen, which are the team's current biggest needs.

Jerry Dipoto needs to once again get aggressive in his pursuit of additions at the trade deadline. Last year, the Mariners added Randy Arozarena, Justin Turner and Yimi García. It was not enough, as the M's fell a game short of the postseason. Dipoto must learn his lesson. If he wants to take the M's to the promised land, there can be no going halfway.

The pressure is on. Dipoto is in his 10th year at the helm of the Mariners, and in that time, the team has made the playoffs just once, in 2022. On one hand, they have secured six winning records and are on track to make it seven out of 10 winning seasons in the Dipoto era. On the other hand, what is a winning record without a playoff appearance? It takes an impressive level of mediocrity to pull off five straight winning seasons but make the playoffs only once.

ESPN's Buster Olney agrees. He included Dipoto as one of the seven front office executives under the most pressure this season.

"There is a clear need for a thumper," writes Olney. "The Mariners' farm system is loaded, and Dipoto can present a buffet table of options to rival executives looking for a match."

With a loaded farm and increased urgency, it is time for Dipoto to prove himself as an executive during the 2025 trade season. If not, another year of failure could be the last straw for his regime in Seattle.