Mariners Trade Deadline: Giants to watch in weekend series
The Mariners are matched up this weekend against a struggling San Francisco Giants team expected to sell at the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline.
The Seattle Mariners will be looking to add before the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. Meanwhile, their opponent in their series this weekend is on the opposite end of things.
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Friday marks the Mariners’ return from the All-Star break, and they find themselves matched up against a San Francisco Giants team that seems about as likely to sell at the trade deadline as any squad in the big leagues.
The Giants are 41-55, putting them a whopping 19 1/2 games back of the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and 10 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.
That leads to a pretty obvious question: Do the Giants have anybody that could fill the Mariners’ primary needs, which are a right-handed bat and bullpen arms?
Let’s go through a list of Giants players to keep an eye on Friday through Sunday as potential M’s trade targets.
The bats
On paper, the Giants’ top offensive trade chip doesn’t seem like a fit for the Mariners. That’s because contact-heavy infielder Luis Arraez is a left-handed bat, and the Mariners’ entire starting infield – plus injured utility man Brendan Donovan – hits from the left side.
That being said, not only is Arraez second in MLB with a .330 batting average, but he’s been essentially the same hitter against left-handed pitching (.330/.353/.468 slash line, .821 OPS) as he has been against righties (.329/.375/.456, .831 OPS).
The 29-year-old Arraez, who will be a free agent after the season, has also been a surprisingly great fielder at second base this year. The M’s could do worse than adding the four-time All-Star and three-time batting champ as a combination second baseman/first baseman/designated hitter, with Cole Young shifting over to cover shortstop at times if need be.
In terms of righty bats, though, the Giants have a few that would either cost a lot to acquire or come with baggage.
In the former camp, outfielder Heliot Ramos (.275/.311/.468 slash, .779 OPS in 58 games) is a one-time All-Star who has hit over 20 home runs in each of the past two seasons. But at just 26 and with club control through 2029, he’s probably not a likely piece for the Giants to move.
The most likely right-handed offensive target for the Mariners may be 27-year-old utility man Casey Schmitt, who is slashing .280/.308/.497 for an .805 OPS with 19 homers this season. Like Ramos, though, he’s under team control through 2029.
As for the baggage category, 33-year-old third baseman Matt Chapman is neither having a good season (.235/.324/.368, .692), nor is his contract palatable (he’s owed over $25 million per year through 2030). Willy Adames, a 30-year-old shortstop, is in a similar spot with a .230/.281/.420 slash (.701 OPS) and five more seasons at over $31 million annually to go on his deal.
The arms
Generally, if you see a Giants pitcher come out of the bullpen this weekend, you may just want to watch them closely because it’s unlikely that any of them are untouchable.
Lefty Erik Miller is pretty intriguing with a 3.50 ERA and .212 opponent batting average, though when you see the 28-year-old’s 1.50 WHIP, it signals a concern with his walk rate, which is currently at a career-high 6.59.
Some other names to keep an eye on are 32-year-old righty JT Brubaker (2.87 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, .202 opponent average) and 29-year-old lefty Sam Hentges (2.04 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, .203 opponent average).
Whenever I’m talking bullpen options, I tend to mention local product Ryan Walker, a 30-year-old righty with a funky delivery who hails from Arlington, Wash., and pitched in college for WSU. He’s struggled for the Giants this year, however, to the tune of a 7.52 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and .308 opponent average, so maybe not this time.
Seattle Mariners vs. San Francisco Giants
• Friday, 7:10 p.m.
Radio: Seattle Sports (pregame 6 p.m.)
TV: Mariners TV and KING-5
• Saturday, 4:15 p.m.
Radio: Seattle Sports (pregame 3 p.m.)
TV: FOX
• Sunday, 1:10 p.m.
Radio: Seattle Sports (Trident Talk 11 a.m., pregame noon)
TV: Mariners TV
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