The Seattle Mariners are off to a disappointing start to the 2026 season. After coming within one game of reaching the 2025 World Series, Seattle is currently last in the American League West. Star slugger Cal Raleigh has received plenty of heat for the team’s early struggles. In fact, Bleacher Report named the catcher as one of the most overhyped Major League Baseball players.
Raleigh previously led the league in home runs and RBIs in 2025. Nevertheless, he is hitting just .163 with two dingers so far during the current campaign. His OPS is also more than 400 points lower than his average last season. Raleigh, however, is not the only issue for the Mariners. Nearly Seattle’s entire lineup is underperforming to begin 2026.
According to Baseball Reference, the Mariners are averaging just 3.71 runs per game to start the campaign. The figure is currently the third-worst average among A.L. teams. Seattle’s hitters also rank within the bottom three in the league in batting average (.209), slugging (.329), and OPS (.645).
One way to help fix the team’s problem is to acquire a new slugger. Sports Illustrated’s Patrick McAvoy suggests the Mariners target New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez. The former top prospect in the organization is currently in the minors due to New York’s outfield logjam. While the Yankees may not need Dominguez at the moment, the Mariners could use his bat.
Jasson Dominguez Could Become DH Option for Seattle Mariners
GettyJasson Dominguez may need a change of scenery to receive more playing time.
After a fairly underwhelming 2025 season with the Yankees, Dominguez is producing in AAA to start the current campaign. The outfielder is slashing .333/.452/.483 in 16 games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Not only is the former top prospect hitting well, but he also has the same number of strikeouts as he does walks.
Assuming the Seattle Mariners can pry Dominguez away from the Yankees, he would seemingly fit right in as their designated hitter. So far this season, Seattle’s DHs have combined to hit .188 and post an OPS of just .617. These stats currently rank 25th and 20th, respectively, among all MLB teams.
McAvoy suggests that the Mariners could send shortstop J.P Crawford and prospects back to New York in the trade for the slugger. Nevertheless, this proposal may not be enough to get a deal done. While the Yankees could use another option at shortstop, Crawford is a left-handed hitter. New York general manager Brian Cashman previously proclaimed that his team’s lineup is already too left-handed.
Seattle May Have to Be Patient Regarding a Trade
Instead, the Yankees could target relief help from the Mariners in a potential trade. Seattle has a very strong bullpen at the moment, and New York’s relievers have posted below-average numbers in several categories. Nevertheless, the Mariners would also likely have to give up at least one highly-rated prospect to acquire Dominguez as well.
A deal, however, may take some time. The Yankees surely want to see if outfielder Trent Grisham can bounce back after a rough start to the season. If so, Dominguez could very well become available on the trade block. Seattle is unlikely to be the only team to be interested in the young slugger in the coming weeks, though.
Mariners Trade Idea Would Land Young Yankees Slugger