Notebook: Mariners near blockbuster with Mets, but Thursday ends with only minor pitching moves

On Thursday the Mariners gained a pitcher, lost a pitcher and oh yeah, moved several steps closer to what could be the blockbuster deal of the 2018 offseason.

Drayer: With Díaz trade rumors, M’s inch closer to a full rebuild

Early morning brought news that the Robinson Canó and Edwin Díaz to the Mets deal was indeed more than just talk. The Mariners were said to be looking at “other options,” but by late afternoon it seemed all but inevitable a deal with the Mets would get done.

What have we learned in the last 18 hours?

The biggest and, at least for the moment, most reassuring piece of news is that yes, there would be prospects coming back to the Mariners. This is not a salary-for-salary deal with Díaz thrown in to further motivate the Mets to take Canó. The names that are coming Seattle’s way are significant, most notably Jarred Kelenic, the No. 6 pick in the last draft, an outfielder who according to scouts has superstar potential. On Thursday the mere mention of Kelenic’s name prompted howling from Mets fans and others in the game on Twitter.

In addition to Kelenic, Justin Dunn, Double-A right-handed pitcher and the Mets’ No. 5 prospect according to Baseball America, and 23-year-old reliever Gerson Bautista, who appeared in five MLB games in 2018, are expected to be included in the deal. The Mets also would reportedly send outfielder Jay Bruce and reliever Anthony Swarzak, which would help New York offset Canó’s salary.

Before any deal is finalized, medicals must be exchanged, approval from the commissioner’s office granted on dollars headed to New York, and of course the waiving of one no-trade clause by Canó. The trade was not expected to be completed Thursday night but without question was progressing toward something that could be done in the next 24 hours.

Notes

• About those pitchers. Thursday morning the Mariners officially announced the acquisition of left-handed pitcher Ricardo Sanchez, 21, from the Braves in exchange for cash. Sanchez, who was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Angels in 2013, has accumulated a record of 17-35 with an era of 4.56 in five minor league seasons.

• Casey Lawrence has been granted his release to pursue an opportunity to play in Japan. Lawrence joins Ariel Miranda, Arquimedes Caminero, Anthony Bass, Stefen Romero and Andrew Albers as Mariners who have left the team in recent years to play in Japan. With the two pitching moves Thursday, the Mariners’ 40-man roster is at 35.

• It is that time again – #EdgarHOF season. The ballots have been slow to come in but so far so good for Gar, who is 9 for 9 in public ballots so far, including three votes from voters who did not previously vote for him. Follow @NotMrTibbs for up-to-date balloting and check out his ballot tracker.

Can M’s trade Canó? MLB Network’s Amsinger says it would cost

Follow @shannondrayer