In this article, we continue our look at some interesting fan Major League Baseball trade proposals made to The Athletic. This time, we look at a proposed swap between two American League West rivals in the Oakland A’s and the Seattle Mariners.
Previously, we dove into a fan-suggested potential swap between the A’s and the Detroit Tigers. That article focused on Detroit trading for Oakland third baseman Matt Chapman. In this article, we’re looking at what it might take (in a hypothetical world, of course) for the Mariners to land starting pitcher Chris Bassitt.
Would this fan-proposed trade idea between the Seattle Mariners and Oakland A’s be enough for the AL West rivals to work a deal?
In his article for The Athletic (subscription required), former MLB general manager Jim Bowden took suggestions from fans on potential trades and then gave his comments on their fairness and possibilities of happening if the hypothetical trades were real. Among those trade ideas was one involving the Mariners and A’s.
The proposal was Oakland sending Chris Bassitt to the Mariners for right-hander Drew Steckenrider, right-hander Levi Stoudt, and outfielder Zach DeLoach. Bowden gave it his blessing, calling it, “one of the best proposals suggested here (in the article)” and saying that the deal would make sure Seattle brought its 20-year postseason drought.
Certainly obtaining Bassitt would be a big boost for the Mariners, a team that has already inked the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner (Robbie Ray) to a deal this offseason. Bassitt (an All-Star last season who posted a 3.15 ERA, 3.34 FIP, and 1.055 WHIP in 157.1 innings) is expected to be on the trading block by Oakland once the current MLB lockout ends, and the A’s will likely be listening to plenty of offers for his services should they decide to trade him.
But would this suggested trade from Seattle be enough to send him to a division rival?
Steckenrider was earned a team-high 14 saves for the Mariners last season and put up a 2.00 ERA in 67.2 innings during 62 games. Signed as a free agent before the campaign began, the 31-year-old right-hander was one of the best stories of the season in Seattle. He isn’t scheduled to be a free agent until the 2024 season so, if he can duplicate the success he found last season in the Pacific Northwest, he could be a late-inning weapon for some time.
As a note, Oakland’s Lou Trivino led the A’s last season with a career-high 22 saves, but there is talk he could be on the trading block as well.
Stoudt, meanwhile, started 15 games last season between High-A and Double-A, posting a combined 3.31 ERA while holding opponents to a .207 batting average. This came after recovery from Tommy John surgery, with Stoudt hitting as high as 97 mph upon his return. The 24-year-old right-hander enters the season as Seattle’s ninth-ranked prospect.
The only non-pitcher in the hypothetical swap is DeLoach, a second-round pick of the Mariners in the 2020 draft who split his time between High-A and Double-A in 2021. He hit .313 in 58 High-A games to earn the promotion, but then slumped a bit at Double-A Arkansas, posting a .227 average in 49 games. Ranked as Seattle’s sixth-highest prospect, DeLoach talked about those struggles once he reached Double-A and how he is bouncing back in this article.
So, as part of this fan-generated trade idea, that’s two Top 10 prospects and a potential closer/late-inning arm heading from Seattle to Oakland in exchange for an All-Star starting pitcher. What do you think? Would you make the deal if you were the A’s? Is it too pricey for the Mariners? Let us know in the comments section below.