Mariners Trade Deadline Update: Rumors hint at selling

It seems equally possible that the Seattle Mariners could buy or sell before the 3 p.m. Tuesday MLB trade deadline. Based on what has come to light Sunday, it appears the idea of the M’s selling is picking up steam.

Drayer: What’s at stake in this Seattle Mariners trade deadline

Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto joined analyst and former MLB general manager Jim Bowden on “The Front Office” Sunday morning on SiriusXM’s MLB Network Radio, and he certainly didn’t rule out the possibility of Seattle dealing from its current major league roster to bolster the team’s future.

Asked if right fielder Teoscar Hernández, who is set to be a free agent after this season, will still be with the Mariners on Wednesday, Dipoto replied, “Don’t know the answer to that.”

He continued: “We’re still very much a foot in both camps. We’ve spoken with every team. We’re just as focused on what happens after 2023 as in ’23, and we’re letting the schedule and the teams around us tell us which way we should go.”

Could Teoscar Hernández be the first piece on the move in Seattle?@Mariners | #SeaUsRise | #JerryDiPoto | @JimBowdenGM | @JimDuquetteGM pic.twitter.com/xl3RacTNfn

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) July 30, 2023

The Mariners came out of Sunday with a 16.3% chance of making the playoffs per Fangraphs’ calculations, standing just 4 1/2 games out of the American League’s third wild card spot and 5 1/2 back in the AL West with a 54-51 record. Seattle is enjoying its most successful month of the season, too, with a 16-9 showing thus far in July (.640 winning percentage) after Sunday’s win, which is guaranteed to at least tie their 17-11 record in May (.607) with only one game left in the month.

There could be opportunity for Seattle to take advantage of a trade market that is featuring far more buyers than sellers, however. The fact that teams in their division have been making splashes on the trade market could also tip the scales. The AL West-leading Texas Rangers have added three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, the Los Angeles Angels dealt with the White Sox to add former All-Star starter Lucas Giolito and reliever Reynaldo López, and the defending world champion Houston Astros have re-acquired veteran reliever Kendall Graveman from Chicago (and have reportedly had talks with the Mets to do the same with another three-time Cy Young, Justin Verlander).

Which Seattle Mariners players could be traded?

Three key Mariners were named Sunday in a report by USA Today MLB columnist Bob Nightengale as potential trade chips for Seattle.

Per Nightengale: “The Seattle Mariners have informed teams that closer Paul Sewald, outfielder Teoscar Hernández and first baseman Ty France are available in trades.”

It’s no surprise to see Hernández and Sewald on that list. Hernández would be a classic rental as a proven slugger with playoff experience on an expiring contract, while Sewald, who has one more year of team control on his contract, should be particularly attractive to contenders due to his track record in high-leverage situations. Seeing France’s name, however, is a surprise. The 2021 All-Star isn’t set to be a free agent until after the 2025 season.

MLB trade deadline details

The MLB trade deadline is at 3 p.m. Pacific on Tuesday, Aug. 1. We’ll have everything covered in the days leading up to the deadline with articles here on SeattleSports.com, and the Seattle Sports 710 AM shows will be on the air to keep you up to date all the way until Mariners Pregame takes over at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday ahead of a 6:40 p.m. first pitch against the Boston Red Sox at T-Mobile Park.

More on the Seattle Mariners trade deadline

• Who could be dealt if the Mariners sell?
• Trade Deadline: Is doing nothing a viable choice for Seattle?
• Morosi on Mariners: Is Nolan Arenado a name to watch?
• Seattle Mariners Trade Deadline: What Dipoto says M’s are looking to do
• Dipoto: What does the MLB trade market look like?

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