How Mariners might handle roster after relatively quiet deadline | Analysis

by · The Seattle Times

As the final hours dwindled down to minutes remaining in Monday’s Major League Baseball trade deadline, the social-media platform formerly known as Twitter became an unending swirl of reported moves — and reactions to each — right up until the 3 p.m. deadline. 

Many of the late moves were teams trying to get marginally better at the fringes of their active roster, acquiring middle relievers and role players from teams looking to dump them for minimal payroll relief.

The Mariners were conspicuously absent from that fray of activity. 

It seemed odd considering Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners president of baseball operations, loves to transact. 

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After finalizing a trade for outfielder Taylor Ward from the Orioles for reliever Alex Hoppe and minor-league pitchers Brock Moore and Harrison Kreiling early on Monday morning to fill a need in their lineup, the Mariners didn’t make another move the rest of the day. 

“It was just a very unusual year, particularly in the American League, with the number of teams that were sort of either buying and selling or just buying and holding,” general manager Justin Hollander told Seattle Sports 710-AM in an interview post deadline. 

It wasn’t for lack of trying. Per multiple sources from opposing MLB teams, the Mariners were actively trying to make one more deal for a reliever. But in a market with few sellers and lots of buyers, that Hollander labeled “an extreme version,” they weren’t able to find a match to add another pitcher to supplement a bullpen that has been riddled by injuries.

“We were trying to make a bunch of moves, but we couldn’t match up,” Hollander said.

There were plenty of relievers moved at the deadline, including high-leverage performers like Luke Weaver of the Mets, Jeff Hoffman of the Blue Jays and Foster Griffin of the Nationals. But the majority of relievers moved were more middle-reliever types to provide depth for teams. 

Obviously, Weaver and Hoffman would’ve upgraded Seattle’s bullpen, but their guaranteed contracts that carry into next season made them less attractive. Realistically if the Mariners had played better to this point in the season and held a lead in the AL West instead of trailing the Astros by 2 1/2 games, there might have been more motivation to invest in more improvements.

In the end, the Mariners made just two trades leading up to the deadline to improve their MLB roster. 

The other move came on Saturday when they sent Luis Castillo to the White Sox in exchange for reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones and catcher/outfielder Boston Smith. 

When Seattle opens a three-game series vs. the Tigers on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park, they will add Ward and Dominguez to their active roster. They will also reinstate Brendan Donovan from the injured list. 

Adding those three players makes their roster better. Seattle expects relievers Carlos Vargas and Matt Brash to return from the injured list in the coming weeks. They are also expected to call up top prospect Kade Anderson when rosters expand in September. The Mariners have had multiple internal discussions on the best way to use Anderson. If they don’t want to use him as a long reliever, they could slot Anderson into the rotation and have Emerson Hancock, who pitched in relief late last season, return to the bullpen. 

They’ve also considered having their No. 2 pitching prospect — right-hander Ryan Sloan — work as a reliever in the final month of the season.  

The addition of Ward has become critical with Luke Raley going on the injured list with a flexor strain in his forearm. Hollander said Raley might be done for the season with his injury.  

Ward has been an everyday player since the 2022 season. 

The Mariners will likely use some sort of mixture of Ward, Randy Arozarena, Dom Canzone and occasionally Donovan to fill the spots in left field, right field and designated hitter. Defensively, Ward has predominantly played left field over the past three seasons, but has some experience in right field. 

With J.P. Crawford on the injured list with a wrist strain, Donovan will play mostly third base in the interim. When Crawford returns, Donovan will move to a super-utility role. The addition of Ward will likely move Victor Robles to a bench role and could push veteran Rob Refsnyder off the roster.