Seattle Mariners Trade Deadline Overview
By Nick Fustor
Where to Improve
Outfield
With the pitching staff virtually set – aside from Miley – the Mariners will likely need to address their outfield and first base as the season goes on.
While Leonys Martin, Seth Smith, Franklin Gutierrez and Nori Aoki are all fine outfielders in their own right, none of them are stars capable of carrying the lineup at any point in the season. Collectively, none of the four are hitting over .260 and have struggled to deliver any sort of consistent power to the lineup.
Martin, despite landing on the DL for a few weeks, has been the standout of the group with a .248/.324/.458 slash line, 10 home runs and 22 runs scored. But Smith and Gutierrez have never been consistent everyday outfielders and Aoki hasn’t made consistent contact this season.
Smith and Gutierrez are both 33 and have combined to hit 11 home runs with 40 RBI – which best benefits the team in a platoon scenario. The two have also been average in the field, and the Mariners could benefit from a consistent presence in the outfield.
The team could turn to a minor leaguer at some point, but top prospect Alex Jackson won’t be ready for big league action for a few more seasons.
Instead, Seattle will likely target a high profile outfielder like Carlos Gonzalez to provide some pop in their lineup, but it may take a major haul of prospects to land him. The team may have to turn to a cheaper option, however, which may not be an issue with the abundance of productive outfielders across the majors.
Next: Where to Improve: First Base