The Seattle Mariners recently attempted to boost their chances of returning to the playoffs this autumn. Jerry Dipoto, the team’s top exec, brought in outfielder Taylor Ward and reliever Seranthony Domíguez ahead of the trade deadline. The deals addressed two specific needs for the club. Nevertheless, some baseball fans in Seattle wanted more from their team.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal recently fielded various questions on his Foul Territory podcast. One of these inquiries involved the Mariners. A Seattle fan specifically asked why Dipoto and the Mariners did not trade another starting pitcher to grab more offense. According to Rosenthal, the club was open to receiving offers for two specific pitchers in the rotation.
“It’s not like they didn’t listen on George Kirby and Emerson Hancock; they did,” claimed Rosenthal. “But they set the bar high, and it’s always dangerous to trade starting pitching because you may compromise your depth. Ultimately, they didn’t get the package they wanted.”
Both Kirby and Hancock have performed fairly well so far this season for the Seattle Mariners. Kirby, 28, has compiled a 3.68 ERA on the year, but has been better as of late. In fact, the pitcher has allowed two runs or less in six of his last seven starts. Hancock, on the other hand, has a 3.35 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 2026.
Seattle Mariners Expected to Resume George Kirby, Emerson Hancock Trade Talks in Winter
GettyGeorge Kirby (left) and Emerson Hancock (middle) have been key parts of the Seattle Mariners rotation in recent years.
While the Seattle Mariners ultimately resisted offers for the dynamic duo, Rosenthal believes that trade conversations involving Kirby and Hancock will resume this winter. According to the insider, the team’s offensive issues will get worse before they get better. Randy Arozarena and J.P. Crawford are both expected to sign elsewhere when they become free agents.
“Come the offseason, they might be active again in listening [to offers] again on Kirby and Hancock, simply because they’re going to need to fill those holes,” continued Rosenthal. “Maybe they don’t wanna do it through free agency.”
During a recent article for The Athletic, Rosenthal reported that the Seattle Mariners were interested in landing Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto. The organization appears willing to move highly-rated prospect Colt Emerson to third base. Assuming Crawford departs soon, Seattle would need a new shortstop. The Neto deal, however, ultimately failed to materialize.
Seattle has Replacements Waiting in the Wings
The Seattle Mariners quite understandably have a high price tag on Kirby and Hancock. Not only are they pitching well, but they are both under team control for the near future. Kirby is not an unrestricted free agent until 2029. Hancock, on the other hand, is set to go through arbitration until 2031.
Despite this, the Mariners remain well stocked on starting pitchers. In fact, their top two prospects in the minors are starters. For now, Seattle and Dipoto will be hoping that Kirby and Hancock can help lead the club back to the playoffs. At the moment, the Mariners are four games back in the American League West, and 3.5 games from a wild card spot. FanGraphs currently rates the club’s chances of qualifying for the postseason at 31%.
Mariners Willing to Trade Two Pitchers to Help Land Star Slugger