The Seattle Mariners are five games behind Houston in the AL West, but still in the thick of Wild Card contention at 55-49. With pressure mounting, GM Jerry Dipoto is expected to swing for the proverbial fences at the MLB trade deadline. The Josh Naylor trade was an excellent first step, but the M's need to do more. Perhaps it even involves one of Naylor's former teammates.
Seattle's rotation ranks among the very best in MLB. It has for years. But this team needs to improve the depth of its lineup to truly contend. Cal Raleigh is enjoying a historic season at the plate, but the back half of Seattle's lineup is a weak point. That can change with a single, well-calculated move prior to the final trade buzzer on July 31.
Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez has been on a rocket-like ascent in recent weeks. He's up to 36 home runs with a .938 OPS on the season. In the final year of his contract, the 34-year-old is expected to hit the road in a few days and join a new team. One oft-theorized suitor, the New York Yankees, is already off the board after trading for Ryan McMahon.
That leaves the door wide open for Seattle to string gold twice in Arizona.
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Mariners need to dial up Diamondbacks and get Eugenio Suárez trade done
Seattle has already done business with the Diamondbacks, so the lines of communication are over. The infield remains a relative weak point for Seattle, even after the Naylor trade, and Suárez would represent a substantial upgrade over Ben Williamson (.599 OPS) or Donovan Solano (.626 OPS) at the hot corner.
Other teams are still bound to check in on Suárez. The Yankees were the reported frontrunners for a while, but the Cubs, Mets, Phillies and plenty of others can (and will) justify a run at the veteran All-Star. But Seattle has been teetering on the brink of contention for so long. Now is the time to go all-in and really give the fans a team to believe in.
Trading for Suárez is not without risk — a high strikeout rate and the subsequent postseason worries, not to mention an expiring contract — but his arrival would meaningfully raise the ceiling for this M's team. The American League is wide open right now. The Blue Jays, with all due respect, have the best record and scare absolutely no one. The Yankees can't field or run the bases. The Tigers are on a downswing. The Astros are still spooky, but Houston is not the juggernaut it once was.
A Eugenio Suárez trade could put Seattle in the World Series conversation
Seattle has an MVP frontrunner in Raleigh, a dominant starting rotation comprised of several All-Stars, and an offense that is increasingly rounding into shape. Naylor's swing projects well at T-Mobile Park (13 hits, four home runs, 12 RBI in 59 career at-bats). Suárez has struggled in a more limited sample size, but it's hardly enough reason for the M's to cancel the pursuit.
Suárez is currently tied for fourth in MLB in home runs (36), trailing only Raleigh (39), Aaron Judge (37) and Shohei Ohtani (37). Pairing him and Raleigh in the heart of the lineup gives Seattle a level of power it has not seen in a decade-plus. The Randy Arozarena trade began the Mariners' ascent last summer. Add Naylor and Suárez into the mix — with Julio Rodríguez beginning to hit his stride — and Seattle suddenly has one of the most terrifying lineups in the AL.
The Mariners with Suárez are one of the most complete all-around teams in MLB. One move can mean the difference between a first round exit and a deep run in October. Nothing is guaranteed beyond this season — Suárez almost definitely walks for better money in free agency — but a well-timed rental is what separates the great front offices from the good front offices.