Mariners can expect ‘seller’s market’ ahead of MLB trade deadline

The Seattle Mariners could be in for an active season on the trade market.

There are a few reasons for that.

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No. 1, they’re currently leading the AL West, but they’re not running away with it. No. 2, the American League is wide open this year, so there’s a potential path to a deep run in October. And No. 3, the Mariners could look to add really to any part of their roster, whether it’s an extra starting pitcher in a year where they’ve been hit by multiple injuries, some bats to provide more punch, or arms to make the bullpen more of a strength.

The annual MLB trade deadline is just over two months away on July 31, and Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy got an early look at what the Mariners could be looking at in terms of the market when they were joined Tuesday by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.

The Mariners seem likely to be buyers. The way the market’s shaping up according to Rogers isn’t exactly good news for Seattle, though.

“I will tell you, I’ve talked to GMs – including your own there – and I think it’s gonna be a seller’s market,” Rogers said. “There’s not gonna be that many good players available. That’s easy to say today, it could change two months from now as some other teams fall out of the race, but I’ve talked to enough execs to believe that that could be true.”

What would that mean for the Mariners?

“If it’s a seller’s market (and) there’s not a lot available, you wait as long as you can to see what your need is. If you jump the gun now, maybe you do get a player that’s pretty good, but your needs could change drastically because of injuries in a month,” Rogers said. “And you’ve already seen your pitching injuries – what if you have two or three more? Seattle might have to go out and get a starter, something that would be unheard of (in previous seasons). If it is a seller’s market, does someone jump the market? And who are going to be the patient GMs to sort of, not wait till the last moment, but wait to really know what they need?”

Entering Wednesday, the Mariners (30-23) were ahead of second-place Houston by just 1 1/2 games in the AL West, while Texas was next in the standings at 4 1/2 games back. The race is a bit tighter after the Astros took three of four games over Seattle, which averaged just 2.75 runs per game during the series in Houston.

That could signal that the biggest need for the M’s will remain hitting.

“You would think in Seattle (the needs in trades) would be in the lineup still, right?” Rogers continued. “But I think you gotta wait this out. The AL West is too tight to sort of make that big move now and use up your assets. So I think it’s going to be a fascinating July, if indeed it is a seller’s market.”

Catch Bump and Stacy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

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