Passan dives into if Mariners would make trade for Alex Bregman

Jul 2, 2025, 1:03 PM | Updated: 1:28 pm

Editor, Seattle Sports

The month of the MLB trade deadline is here, and with the Seattle Mariners in position for a wild card in the American League, they could do something big. But could it be Alex Bregman big?

Five Seattle Mariners questions for the second half

There’s been speculation that the former Astros and current Red Sox star third baseman could be available before the July 31 deadline, and he would check a few boxes for the Mariners.

First, his position, where the M’s have been starting rookie Ben Williamson and his .606 OPS. And second, Bregman would give Seattle a needed offensive threat to pair with MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh in a season where no other regular M’s hitters have an OPS near .800.

But just because Bregman, who is working his way back from a quad strain suffered in late May, looks like a fit for a Mariners team with a well-stocked farm system to trade from doesn’t mean things line up perfectly.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan provided his view on a potential Bregman trade by the Mariners when he joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk for his weekly conversation.

“I think there’s a question of could vs. should vs. would,” Passan said. “Could they? Sure. They have the money to do it. They have the prospects to do it. They have the motivation to do it. And for that reason, should they? Absolutely they should. Alex Bregman is potentially the most impactful guy to move at this deadline.”

The “could” question is where things get murky.

Bregman was a free agent last offseason, and the Mariners were never reported to be serious contenders for his services at the time. Now he’s tied to a big salary – $120 million for three years – but has an opt-out clause for both after this season and the next.

The Mariners have signed some of their players to notable contract extensions, including Julio Rodríguez, Luis Castillo and most recently Cal Raleigh. They’ve made splashy trades before the deadline in recent years, getting Castillo in 2022 and Randy Arozarena last season. But they haven’t broke the bank on a player coming from the outside like the contract Bregman has with Boston.

“If you’re a Seattle Mariners team that’s kind of treading water right now – you know, in a playoff spot but (there are) clearly weaknesses, and the most striking of those weaknesses right now is third base, then yes, you should (trade for Bregman),” Passan continued. “Would they? I mean, we get back to the same question that we do every offseason. Would the Mariners go out and spend real money on a guy who’s going to improve their team? And up to this point, they have not shown a willingness to do so.”

A “different scenario” now

There are two things that could make it more likely now than in the past, though, one of which specifically has to with Bregman, who has a .299 average, .938 OPS and 11 homers in 51 games this year.

Both MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer and The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude have reported that the Mariners are open to increasing payroll via trades before the deadline, and Bregman’s ability to opt out could make a trade for him essentially a rental – especially if he continues to have a good year.

“We look at an American League that, yes, is wide open, and has a lot of teams that can make one of those runs. But right now, the Mariners have a playoff spot,” Passan said. “And you can’t discount how impactful that is on a team’s trade deadline plan.”

While a move to get Bregman now would most likely cost the Mariners a haul of top prospects, there is the benefit that they won’t be negotiating terms with him.

“I think because the contract is in place right now already, it’s a little different scenario,” Passan said. “You’re not negotiating with anybody else potentially. There are no other teams that are going to be involved with the terms. You’re just inheriting what’s there already.

“And so I think the Mariners would go into this with eyes wide open about that. That if Alex Bregman has the kind of production that you are hoping that he would have, then he would probably opt out and those last two years of $40 million would not be your issue any more. But you also have to account for the fact that a $40 million average annual value is something that only a handful of guys in Major League Baseball 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 live from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.