Passan: Mariners could turn to Mets to upgrade 3B

Jul 22, 2025, 9:53 PM | Updated: 11:14 pm

Seattle Sports

The MLB trade deadline is just eight days away, and the Seattle Mariners are expected to be active in acquiring help for a playoff push.

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The corner infield spots have consistently been brought up as areas for the Mariners address, with fan favorite and ex-Seattle third baseman Eugenio Suárez being perhaps the most popular name to be linked to the M’s.

However, the market for Suárez, who is having a career year with 36 home runs and a league-high 86 RBIs, figures to be fierce due to many contenders needing help at third base and Suárez potentially being the biggest name that will be moved before the end of the month.

If Suárez goes elsewhere, what other options remain for the Mariners to upgrade at the hot corner? ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan answered that question during his weekly conversation with Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday.

A team of interest

One team Passan views as having intriguing options for the Mariners is the New York Mets. The Mets are in the thick of the playoff hunt in the National League, trailing the final wild card spot by 1 1/2 games entering Tuesday. But they have a surplus of infielders they could deal from to upgrade other areas.

“The Mets have a really interesting group of guys with Mark Vientos, and Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Luisangel Acuña,” Passan said. “They’re likely to move one of those infielders, so you would be getting a guy who’s under (club) control.”

The name that really jumps out to Passan on that list is Vientos, who won’t become arbitration eligibile until 2027.

Vientos enjoyed a breakout 2024 while hitting .266 with an .837 OPS and 27 home runs in 111 regular season games. And the right-handed-hitting third baseman starred during the Mets’ run to the NLCS, batting .327 with a .998 OPS and five homers in 14 games.

But the 25 year old has taken a major step back this year with a .222 average, .626 OPS and just six home runs in 80 games entering Tuesday.

“I remember seeing Vientos last year during the postseason. The guy looked like a star,” Passan said. “So, Vientos’ step backward this year has been a bit of a surprise to me, and you might be able to buy low on a guy like that.”

Other 3B options

Passan highlighted Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon as another option for the Mariners.

McMahon is an excellent defender and has the ability to play second and first as well. However, he’s owed $16 million in both 2026 and 2027, has strikeout issues and has done most of his damage at the plate in the extremely hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field.

“When he gets outside of (Coors Field), you don’t know how he’s going to adjust,” Passan said.

Passan also pointed to Minnesota Twins utilityman Willi Castro. The switch-hitter is having his most productive year at the plate during a contract season, hitting .258 with a .785 OPS and 26 extra-base hits (including 10 home runs) in 78 games entering Tuesday.

Oakland’s Luis Urías (a former Mariner), Kansas City’s Jonathan India and the Los Angels Angels’ Yoán Moncada are “lower-end guys” Passan could see as viable additions if paired with another move.

“Those are upgrades, but are they good enough upgrades? It depends on what else you go out and get,” Passan said. “If you’re going out and getting (Arizona’s) Josh Naylor or (Baltimore’s) Ryan O’Hearn at first base, then, yeah, maybe the upgrade at third base doesn’t have to be quite the same, but I’d say be greedy.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.