Drayer: Should the Mariners feel comfortable trading a starting pitcher?

How comfortable should the Seattle Mariners be with trading a starting pitcher? Let’s take a stab at the topic of the day.

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Luis Castillo aside, the past four winters Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander have been mostly averse to the prospect of trading one of their homegrown starters, with their response to inquiries about their availability ranging from nonstarters to the more recent “open to listening.” This week at the MLB GM Meetings in Las Vegas, Dipoto took it one step further, telling reporters they have sometimes been the “protagonist” in initializing conversations about trading one of their starters.

So, do we see a starter moved this winter? Should we see a starter traded? The popular answer appears to be yes, but a case can be made that it would be by no means a must. Yes, eight starters – the six they ended the year with, plus Ryan Sloan and Logan Evans – have been touted as what would seem like enviable depth. The trouble is, depth can thin out quickly.

Last year, Bryce Miller did not break camp with the Mariners due to an oblique strain. The previous year, the team was without George Kirby at the start of the season and lost Logan Gilbert on April 25 to a flexor strain. Injuries tend to happen early and could happen again. If a starter began the season on the injured list or was injured shortly after, the depth would be questionable. It’s unlikely Evans would be ready from the get-go coming off elbow surgery. Would the Mariners feel comfortable going to Sloan earlier than planned?

If they begin the season with six starters, there’s no problem – an injury would leave them with a conventional five-man rotation. If a starter is traded, however, then they are down to four proven starters and potentially could have two rookies in the rotation sooner than expected. If, like in 2025, a second starter is lost particularly early, at that point the strength of the team will have taken a big hit. It’s not to say Sloan and/or Evans would not be good depth at some point of the season, but the Mariners would be vulnerable early.

There is a balance, however, and an experienced rotation can only get you so far. Needs on the roster that available dollars alone will not fill has been the main reason for at least the possibility of trading a starter the last few years. This year, there’s another reason. Kade Anderson is up and Sloan is at least within in a season of being ready to take his place in the rotation. They have created a sort of homegrown, natural turnover with the rotation and space will be necessary. The question now is will what Dipoto is looking for offensively be available to him?

Can that be figured out before baseball shuts down? It’s hard to say. This is highly unlikely to be a one-for-one trade, and if the type of player the Mariners are looking for is made available, others will be interested too. On the other side, the potential trade partner will be coming from the “open to listening” stance Dipoto has had the past few years when the feeling, and even preference, was they did not have to make a deal.

They still do not have to make a deal. Six starters can work well for at least a time if there is a solid plan going in. They can comfortably avoid the risk that comes with depleting their largest area of strength, but it doesn’t look like they are trying to do that now. If this is the case, what remains to be seen is if what they are looking for becomes truly available.

Seattle Mariners news and more

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• Mariners won’t re-sign longtime SS J.P. Crawford, per reports
• Report suggests what M’s could look for in Logan Gilbert trade

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