Mariners trade targets from each clear deadline seller

Things have been trending upwards for the Seattle Mariners of late.

After tumbling out of first place in the AL West while losing five of six series, the M’s have won eight of their past 12 games. They still trail the Houston Astros by five games in the division, but they hold the third AL wild card spot.

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The club has a wealth of talented prospects to entice teams with as well, with nine players ranked in both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America’s top-100 lists.

All this means Seattle is on track to be a buyer leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.

What’s working against the M’s is there aren’t very many clear sellers at this point. There are six teams that entered Thursday at least 9 1/2 games out of a playoff spot that would fit that mold. Most don’t have too much to offer, but there are a few players who could be of interest to the Mariners. Here are potential trade targets from each team that appears to be a clear seller at the deadline.

Seattle Mariners trade targets

Jake Bird, RP, Colorado Rockies

Season stats: 2.06 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, .229 opponents’ average, 43 2/3 innings pitched, 56 strikeouts, 16 walks

There aren’t many intriguing options on the lowly Rockies, but Bird could end up being one of the most sought-after bullpen arms on the market. The right-hander ranks in the 93rd percentile in strikeout rate (31.5%) and 73rd percentile in whiff rate (28.8%), which are tools the Mariners’ (or any) bullpen could certainly use. And he’s pitched incredibly well despite playing half of his games in the extremely hitter friendly environment of Coors Field. Bird could be a bit costly as far as relievers go since he’s under club control through 2028.

Luis Robert Jr., OF, Chicago White Sox

Season stats: .185/.270/.313, eight doubles, eight home runs, 32 RBIs, 88 strikeouts, 29 walks, 22 stolen bases

Robert’s stock has never been lower, which makes him an intriguing yet incredibly risky trade target. Robert, who has two club options worth $20 million after 2025, is having an awful season with the struggling White Sox. But he’s still just 27 years old, plays excellent defense, is a threat on the basepaths and is just two years removed from hitting 38 home runs, making the AL All-Star team and winning a Silver Slugger.

The White Sox have reportedly asked a lot for Robert in the past, which makes a deal for the M’s seem unlikely. However, a gamble on Robert that ends paying off could be the difference in being a playoff contender and a true World Series contender. Robert did leave Chicago’s game Wednesday with a hamstring issue, which could complicate this even further.

Anthony Bender, RP, Miami Marlins

Season stats: 2.59 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, .184 opponents’ batting average, 31 1/3 innings pitched, 23 strikeouts, 14 walks

Like the Rockies, the Marlins aren’t ripe with trade targets. Bender is probably their best. The right-hander’s swing and miss is down quite a bit this season. His strikeout rate has dropped from 25.9% to 18.5% and whiff rate from 22.2% to 17.2%, but he’s still put together a solid season and has a track record of success at the MLB level. Bender wouldn’t be a rental either, as he’s under club control through 2027.

Nathaniel Lowe, 1B, Washington Nationals

Season stats: .226/.292/.393, 12 doubles, 13 home runs, 42 RBIs, 91 strikeouts, 28 walks, one stolen base

The Mariners are plenty familiar with Lowe from his time with the Texas Rangers. However, Seattle’s need at first base appears to be lessening with Donovan Solano heating up and Dominic Canzone playing well enough that Luke Raley can get regular run at first, and Lowe isn’t having that great of a season. If the M’s believe Lowe (who is under club control through 2026) can regain the form he showed over the past three seasons when he hit a combined .277 with a .798 OPS with Texas, perhaps they could buy low on Lowe in what’s expected to be a seller’s market. Another name to keep an eye on with the Nationals is reliever Kyle Finnegan.

Caleb Ferguson, RP, Pirates

Season stats: 2.91 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .203 opponents’ average, 34 innings pitched, 26 strikeouts, 12 walks

Ferguson and Dennis Santana would both be good bullpen options here, but Ferguson makes a little more sense as a true rental (Santana is under club control through 2026). He’d also give the M’s a second left-hander to turn out of the bullpen. The southpaw doesn’t get a lot of strikeouts, but what he does do is getter batters to chase, induce groundballs and avoid hard contact. Ferguson’s ranks in the 100th percentile in average exit velocity (83.4 mph) and hard-hit rate (23.9%) and the 77th percentile in groundball rate (48.9%).

Miguel Andujar, 3B/OF, Athletics

Season stats: .296/.328/.402, seven doubles, one triple, three home runs, 20 RBIs, 23 strikeouts, nine walks, one stolen base

Many of the desirable pieces on the Athletics are young, controllable players that likely aren’t available. Andujar is a veteran on a one-year deal who could bring some value. He makes a lot of contact and has a solid track record as a career .276 average and .738 OPS across nine seasons. The defense isn’t good and there is some history of injures (he’s currently on the IL with an oblique strain), but the 30 year old could ultimately provide some more offense at third base and lengthen the lineup.

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