Yankees clear Mariners' way to Eugenio Suárez by taking Plan B off the board

The Seattle Mariners kicked off the trade deadline with a huge move to acquire Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks last week. The deal had been rumored for quite some time, given Seattle's need for corner infield help and Arizona's less-than-ideal playoff chances.

While the move is significant in its own right, Seattle probably isn't done just yet. Third base remains a weakness in the lineup and although the Mariners have reportedly been interested in a reunion with Eugenio Suárez, they aren't the only interested party. The Yankees were another potential suitor, but they've now taken themselves out of the running, recently coming to terms with the Colorado Rockies to acquire Ryan McMahon.

The Seattle Mariners have one fewer competitor to acquire the best third baseman on the market

On one hand, Seattle was also interested in pursuing a trade for McMahon. On the other hand, it wasn't clear whether they viewed him as anything more than a secondary option.

At first glance, McMahon's statistical profile doesn't make it seem like he'd be an impact player, especially when compared to Suárez, who leads MLB in RBI (87) and has a 144 OPS+. McMahon would undoubtedly have been cheaper than Suárez, but as a defense-first third baseman who has been roughly as valuable as Ben Williamson, it wouldn't have been worth trading away any prospects for what may not have been much of an improvement.

The most optimistic way to view this situation is that there is one fewer player at the table vying for the services of Eugenio Suárez. Reduced market demand should theoretically decrease the potential asking price, but it's hard to make that claim definitively. Instead, this decision by New York brings about more questions than it does answers.

With a few days still left before the deadline, one has to wonder why a team like the Yankees would have already settled for an obviously less appealing option while the top choice is still available. Unlike more frugal and savvy teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers, the Yankees hardly shy away from pursuing the shiniest player whenever they can.

Was Arizona simply asking for too much? Did the Bronx Bombers simply lack the pitching talent the Diamondbacks are searching for in exchange for their third baseman?

Another line of questioning has to do with Seattle's recent acquisition of Naylor. If they were able to secure a deal for one corner infielder, surely the topic of the other must have come up. If the first deal has already been signed, sealed, and delivered, do the Mariners plan on revisiting the Suárez discussion separately? Or were those talks dead in the water before the ink was dry on the Naylor trade?

From the outside looking in, the details of these discussions will forever be a mystery. But the fact of the matter is that one of the Mariners' top trade targets is still on the board. There will be at least a lingering chance of a last-minute transaction all the way up until July 31st, 6:00 PM.