Seattle Mariners steal Tyler Anderson from Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies thought they had a deal in place to land Tyler Anderson. The Pittsburgh Pirates starter had been scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday, and the deal was expected to happen. However, at the last minute, the trade was postponed due to issues with the medicals of one of the prospects heading to Pittsburgh. Then, rumors began circulating that the Mets had stepped in to snipe Anderson at the last moment.

As it turns out, someone did jump in and steal Anderson from under the Phillies’ noses. This time, it was the Seattle Mariners, who had made their first trade of the deadline just hours before.

Seattle Mariners continue what may be frenzied deadline

The Mariners had already made one trade earlier on Tuesday. Kendall Graveman and Rafael Montero were sent to the Astros for Abraham Toro and Joe Smith, a deal which angered the Mariners’ clubhouse. General manager Jerry Dipoto admitted that the trade looked bad from a stand-alone vantage point, but he maintained that the deal to acquire Toro and Smith was just a precursor to bigger things.

Right now, it appears as though Dipoto is starting to deliver on his promises. Although Anderson is not exactly one of the top arms available, he would provide a steady piece in the back of the Mariners’ rotation, something that they have desperately searched for over the course of the 2021 season.

Anderson has been able to stay healthy this year, taking the ball 18 times for a total of 103.1 innings. In that time, he has posted a solid 4.35 ERA and a 1.200 WHiP, striking out 86 batters with 25 walks. Although he has allowed 16 homers on the year, he would still be a drastic upgrade over the flotsam that the Mariners have trotted out in that spot.

In exchange, Seattle is sending a pair of minor leaguers to Pittsburgh. According to reports, catcher Carter Bins is one of the players heading to the Pirates. He has produced a .247/.400/.438 batting line in 225 plate appearances between two levels, hitting eight homers and 10 doubles, although most of that damage had occurred at High-A ball.

Bins is considered an excellent defensive backstop, with a strong arm and solid glove. Offensively, he has plenty of raw power, although his pop has not exactly translated to game action. Nonetheless, he has excellent bat speed and surprising foot speed for a backstop, giving him a chance to develop into a viable major league option.

Jerry Dipoto swore that he was only getting started. By stealing Tyler Anderson from the Phillies, the Seattle Mariners GM proved to be telling the truth.