MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 best spots for Jose Abreu
By John Buhler
Seattle Mariners
AL, West
The Seattle Mariners hold the longest active postseason drought in baseball. It has been 15 years since that sensational 2001 Mariners team beat the cover off the baseball to having the best regular season record of all-time. Unfortunately, those bats didn’t translate to a postseason series victory. For that reason, the Mariners should be looking for anyway to get into the postseason, as it has been that long.
Seattle finally has some bats in second basemen Robinson Cano and designated hitter Nelson Cruz. Those two dudes were so much fun to watch All-Star Weekend. Imagine how much fun it will be to follow the pair if the Mariners force themselves into a wild card race. Adding Abreu to the mix only seems like a plus at the plate for them and in terms of clubhouse chemistry.
The Mariners are right around .500 and only a few games back of the Yankees for that second wild card spot. If Seattle can pitch like it can at spacious Safeco Field, this team might have enough hitting to get back into October. Since Abreu is in the final year of his White Sox contract, why not go for it and see what he can add to the Mariners lineup for two months?
Though the Houston Astros are so far ahead of the pack in the AL West, at least a team or two besides the last-place Oakland Athletics will join the seller’s market. Seattle seems to be playing with a greater sense of optimism than Los Angeles or Texas. The Mariners have shown historically that they will make a move at the deadline of they think it translates to winning in September to hopefully get to October.