ESPN’s Passan: One hitter makes most sense for a Mariners trade

Everything seemed to be lining up for a big Seattle Mariners trade before the July 30 MLB deadline, but there’s been a big wrench thrown into things.

Which Mariners hitter should you buy stock in for second half?

Yeah, the Mariners might enter the second half of the season with a slim lead in the AL West, and yeah, they have a clear need (offense) and the ammo (a well-stocked farm system) to address it. Unfortunately, seemingly the entire rest of MLB is in some way still in the postseason race.

Looking for sellers? Well, we’ll be sure to let you know if any show up beyond baseball’s current bottom-feeders.

“As we’ve always been, we are open to doing something that has the potential to be dynamic,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Wednesday about potential trades on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “I don’t know if that’s going to be available as we push into the deadline. Right now, it’s not. And this is as late as we’ve ever gone into a trade deadline where I can honestly say it’s not.”

More: Mariners’ Dipoto explains the trouble with this MLB trade deadline

While Dipoto’s comments may have been disappointing to hear less than two weeks away from the deadline, they shouldn’t be controversial. Just take a look at the standings, where you’ll find only five of MLB’s 30 teams truly out of the playoff mix.

With that in mind, and knowing the Mariners are still looking for at least one impact bat to add to their lineup, who is a practical target for Seattle on the trade market? ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan gave a name Friday during his weekly conversation with Brock and Salk: Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Isaac (pronounced e-sock) Paredes.

“That’s the one that, to me, is the fit,” Passan said. “I think if the Mariners have a realistic, reasonable option, it’s probably Isaac Paredes.”

What makes Isaac Paredes in play

So why would Paredes be get-able when the 48-48 Rays are only 5 1/2 games back of the American League’s third wild card?

For one, the Rays are well known for keeping a low payroll, and they often trade players before their salaries climb with the help of baseball’s arbitration system. The 25-year-old Paredes is making $3.4 million this year (per Spotrac), and he’s got three more years of arbitration eligibility coming up before he’s set to hit free agency after the 2027 season.

As for another reason, Passan has been speaking this week about the possibility that teams in the “muddled middle” could attempt to both buy and sell major league pieces, aiming to reconfigure their current teams while improving their chances in future seasons.

Paredes would certainly give the Rays the opportunity to do that by dipping into the Mariners’ cache of prospects ranking in the top 100 in baseball.

“When you’re giving up a prospect, he’s going to cost a guy,” Passan said of Paredes. “Like, he’s good enough that he’s going to cost someone who it would sting for you to give up.”

Alright, so what it is about Paredes that makes him worth a big trade package? He just made his first All-Star team, slashing .261/.364/.459 for an .823 OPS with 15 home runs, 18 doubles and 50 RBIs in 91 games before the break. But it’s the manner in which he produces at the plate that stands out, according to Passan.

“He does one thing better than just about everyone in the game: he hits for power to the pull side, which is a great skill to have.”

Hear the full Brock and Salk conversation with ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

More on the Seattle Mariners and MLB trade deadline

• Salk: The bats Mariners could pursue in limited trade market
• ESPN insider’s view on Mariners and Astros’ trade deadline plans
• Alex Rodriguez details the type of hitters Mariners should target
• Do Jazz Chisholm Jr. to Mariners rumors have legs?
• Seattle Mariners Trade Targets: Three bats from within AL West

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