MLB: Five Teams That Should Be Buyers
By Matt Weyrich
Seattle Mariners
Losers of five in a row, the Mariners are in the midst of a midseason slump. Key starters Felix Hernandez and Wade Miley are on the DL, Adam Lind has been a hole in the lineup over at first base, and they are now sitting at 36-36. Why then, would this team be buyers?
Last offseason, Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto built this team to contend. He re-signed Hisashi Iwakuma, brought in veteran bats Nori Aoki and Chris Iannetta, and acquired Steve Cishek to handle the ninth inning. The starting lineup looked to be in good shape, but the depth just wasn’t there. Once injuries began to strike, Seattle started to fall apart.
In addition to Lind, Aoki has had a subpar season. Miley struggled mightily prior to the shoulder injury that put him on the shelf. While the Mariners don’t have the blue chip prospects to bring in the likes of Carlos Beltran or Sonny Gray, there are several moves Seattle can make that could fortify their playoff chances.
FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reported that Bud Norris could be a possible fit for the Mariners, among other teams. Francisco Liriano’s stock is down after his shaky performance so far this year, but the 32-year-old starter posted a 3.26 ERA over the previous three seasons and has valuable postseason experience. On the offensive side, the trade market is stacked full of potential impact bats. John Jaso has had an impressive season in Pittsburgh and is signed through 2017. If they decide to go for a rental, Mark Reynolds is reaching base a .357 a clip for Colorado.
Next: St. Louis Primed for Deep Playoff Run