The Seattle Mariners know they still have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs despite being 15 games out of first place in the AL West, which is why it isn’t surprising that the team was busy at the trade deadline, trying to improve their roster. If you plan on betting on the Mariners, check out our MLB betting odds for this season.
The Mariners had been trying to upgrade their pitching rotation, but after most of the big name pitchers that were available were traded to other contenders, the Mariners decided to do the next best thing, which was to bolster their bullpen and their batting lineup.
On Sunday, Seattle made a bold move, acquiring All-Star Yonder Alonso from the Oakland A’s for Boog Powell. After trading with Oakland, the Mariners also acquired reliever Ryan Garton and catcher Mike Marjama from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospects and another player to be named later.
The trade for Alonso obviously indicates the Mariners are focused on making a postseason run this year, but it also poses a big risk for the team. The 30-year-old first baseman will be a free agent after the season, which means there’s a chance the Mariners are not going to be able to sign him in the offseason.
Like any athlete, winning a championship is Alonso’s top priority. If the Mariners make it to the ALCS or World Series, the team might be able to convince Alonso to resign with them. If they are eliminated in the Wildcard game, he will likely be tempted to sign with a serious contender after spending his career playing for teams like the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland A’s and San Diego Padres.
If Seattle can convince Alonso to resign with them, they can focus on bolstering their pitching rotation with players that can complement James Paxton and Felix Hernandez.
In 100 games with the A’s, Alonso was batting .266 with 20 homeruns and 49 RBIs. He made the All-Star team for the first time in his career this season.
Ryan Garton spent most of this season playing for the Triple A Durham Bulls. He had a 2-0 record with a 1.64 ERA and four saves in 24 games. In 44 MBL games in the past two seasons, he has a 1-3 record with a 5.26 ERA.
Garton is expected to report to Triple A Tacoma before joining the Mariners.
With the Houston Astros firmly in control of the AL West, it will be difficult for the Mariners to win the division at this late stage in the season. However, if they make the playoffs, there is no reason they can’t go on a deep run with the roster they have now.
The team is hoping their new additions can make the run a lot easier.
