As the Seattle Mariners approach the MLB Trade Deadline, they recently saw the Boston Red Sox trade Connelly Early for Curtis Mead of the Washington Nationals. Brad Farkas of Seattle Mariners Roundup believes that this is bad news for the Mariners’ hopes for the trade market. For one, he notes the trade appears to be a massive overpay for a right handed hitter. A young starting pitcher with multiple years of control for a bat who is already on his third franchise in three seasons.
The Mariners stand below .500 on Sunday after Saturday’s 7-1 loss to the Texas Rangers. If the Mariners continue to lose games, they may have to consider selling. Fangraphs currently lists the Mariners playoff chances at 55% despite having the second highest odds of winning the World Series in the American League.
The Mariners have a talented roster when everything is going correctly, but that simply has not happened in 2026. With multiple players having down seasons, the best medicine may be to just wait and see if these players can figure it out. People projected prior that Emerson Hancock would’ve been the price for Mead’s services if they wanted to make that trade.
Seattle Mariners Seem Hopeless Ahead of MLB Tradeline
The Seattle Mariners need to decide how they want to play this Trade Deadline with multiple key players close to hitting free agency.
If the price to improve the roster is that great, it may just be prudent to hold or sell at the deadline. The Mariners have several key players expected to hit free agency if not extended soon. Randy Arozarena and J.P. Crawford’s contracts finish at the end of the season. Plus, starting pitchers Logan Gilbert contract ends after next season and George Kirby’s ends after 2028. Luke Raley is another player whose contract ends after 2028.
The Mariners have already reportedly reached out to Gilbert about a contract extension in the offseason. The expectation is that he will remain with the Mariners. That being said, Arozarena, Crawford, and Raley could fetch a nice return with the price of hitting at this deadline. Perhaps those decisions could improve the defense on the field as well this season. Speculation links Kirby as a potential piece to acquire players at the deadline, which has ranged from Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres to Casey Schmitt of the San Francisco Giants. One of those things is not like the other.
Mariners Roster Needs a Restructure; Not a Rebuild
The Seattle Mariners have a great roster and organizational depth. However, their flaws have been magnified with the lack of production from star players.
Whatever the Mariners decide to do at the MLB Trade Deadline, they should not overpay to fix their issues. The organization needs to continue to operate like they have over the last few years by making smart long term decisions. That being said, this season lacks a sense of urgency, which is a massive reason why the Mariners are at where they are now.
The Mariners need more from their star players. As a result, the poor management of the defensive alignment and the pitching staff are now inflated issues. Maybe the right decision is to take a step back to make a step forward. Despite being some of the best hitters right now on the roster, Arozarena, Crawford, and Raley rate out poorly defensively. Their defense hurts the product immensely even with the lack of offense throughout the roster.
If the Mariners trade a starting pitcher, they should not willingly give one of them away. However, with the issues of the piggyback and the six man rotation, they may have to deal one to improve the quality of their roster if they do move bats as well. The Mariners need to reorganize their roster, which will require a mixture of buying and selling. Maybe then they can realize their upside in 2026 before the end of the season.
Seattle Mariners Receive Bad News Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline