The Mariners’ pitching depth over the previous couple of seasons has drawn many groups into commerce talks and it was virtually precisely a 12 months in the past that experiences surfaced about Boston’s curiosity within the Seattle rotation. Nothing materialized between the 2 groups then, however Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of the Seattle Occasions report that earlier this offseason, the Purple Sox supplied first baseman Triston Casas for both Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo. Nonetheless, these “exploratory talks” then “didn’t progress any additional,” because the M’s don’t have curiosity in buying and selling from their rotation until it’s one thing of a final resort.
Given the contrasting strengths and weaknesses of the Mariners and Purple Sox, a pitching-for-hitting swap would appear like an excellent reply to each staff’s wants. Whereas Miller or Woo won’t be exactly the type of ace the Sox are in search of to strengthen their rotation, clearly each are proficient younger arms with upside and staff management — neither Miller or Woo is eligible for arbitration but, and each are managed by means of the 2029 season. Likewise, Casas is managed by means of 2028 and has already proven glimpses of his potential on the MLB degree.
Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has persistently turned down previous provides for Miller, Woo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Luis Castillo. Current experiences recommend that the M’s are not less than open to listening to what groups should say about Castillo (the oldest and highest-paid member of the rotation), however Divish and Jude write that “the Mariners….aren’t actively buying Castillo.”
Nothing is stopping Dipoto from listening to what groups may need to say, simply in case somebody steps forth with a suggestion too good to refuse. Nonetheless, Dipoto advised Divish and different reporters at the moment that “our preliminary reluctance to any sort of deeper discussions on buying and selling beginning pitching has most likely resulted in loads fewer cellphone calls than we’ve often fielded thus far within the offseason.”
The result’s maybe one thing of a stalemate, because the Mariners are ready for rival groups to decrease their asking costs and different golf equipment are ready for the M’s to turn out to be extra open to the thought of buying and selling from the rotation depth. Issues might evolve as soon as some free agent pitchers come off the board, or maybe if the Mariners themselves added a pitcher within the type of Roki Sasaki. Whereas just about each staff in baseball will probably be making an enchantment to the Japanese ace now that his posting window is formally open, Seattle’s monitor document with each pitching improvement and star Japanese gamers would seemingly put the M’s transfer above most groups within the bidding course of.
Within the interim, it appears as if the Mariners will proceed to give attention to making an attempt to commerce from its minor league depth, besides as Dipoto notes, “it’s the time the place prospects aren’t a driver, the place nearly everyone is concentrated on main league gamers. And I don’t know why that appears completely different to me now than it often does, and perhaps that too adjustments in every week or two with the free agent market actually opening up.”
Since shortstop J.P. Crawford is the one established member of the Mariners’ infield, touchdown a promising first base expertise like Casas would go a good distance in the direction of shoring up the infield and the shaky lineup as an entire. That stated, the Mariners have not less than a part-time first base choice already in Luke Raley, who seems to be to be getting a great chunk of enjoying time in opposition to right-handed pitching.
Because the M’s have been linked to such second or third base commerce candidates as Nico Hoerner or Alec Bohm, it might be that Seattle may be making an attempt to handle a type of positions first earlier than turning to the comparatively easier-to-fill place of first base. An business supply advised Divish and Jude that the Mariners might look into making an attempt so as to add a 3rd staff into talks with the Cubs about Hoerner, maybe to assist cowl a number of the cash owed within the remaining two years of Hoerner’s contract.
From Boston’s perspective, buying and selling Casas wouldn’t essentially create a emptiness at first base. Rafael Devers is a subpar defender at third base, and reportedly the Sox have not less than thought-about transferring him to first base so as to open up the new nook both for certainly one of Boston’s up-and-coming infield prospects, or maybe for a giant free agent like Alex Bregman. This stays a speculative matter for now, as supervisor Alex Cora advised reporters (together with Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe) at the moment that he hasn’t spoken with Devers a few place change, and Cora in reality praised Devers’ third base work in 2024 as “excellent.”
Then once more, there isn’t any scarcity of gamesmanship occurring through the offseason, because it was simply final month that Purple Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow downplayed the thought of buying and selling Casas. Reviews then surfaced this previous weekend that the Sox had been contemplating the potential for dealing Casas for pitching, and this obvious supply for Miller or Woo solely reinforces the concept that Casas is way from an untouchable a part of the Purple Sox roster. In fact, this additionally isn’t to say that Casas goes to be moved for something lower than a premium return.
