ESPN insider’s view on Mariners and Astros’ trade deadline plans
The Seattle Mariners are fighting to keep the Houston Astros at bay in the American League West, clinging onto a one-game lead before the two division rivals meet for three games at T-Mobile Park this weekend.
What Jerry Dipoto said about Mariners’ need to make more contact
In that fight, it’s known that the Mariners are looking for offensive upgrades before the July 30 MLB trade deadline. But don’t forget that the Astros are looking for reinforcements themselves.
David Schoenfield, an ESPN senior writer who covers MLB, joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Wednesday and provided his view on what the trade prospects for both the Mariners and Astros are looking like with the deadline less than two weeks away.
Astros need pitching
Houston’s starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries all season long, which is a big factor in the Astros’ team ERA (4.03) ranking 17th in MLB and WHIP (1.30) coming in 21st.
While the Astros have gone big in the past with trades for aces like Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, Schoenfield doesn’t see them as a player for potentially available All-Star pitchers Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers) and Garrett Crochet (Chicago White Sox).
“Everything you’re hearing is the Astros are going to look to be aggressive,” he said. “And they need pitching, and that’s what’s out there. Now, they have a bad farm system, so they don’t have the talent there to get a Crochet or a Scubal, but they might get a rental kind of pitcher. So they’ll add another starter that’ll make them a little better.”
Can Mariners get a big bat?
In Seattle, it’s offense that’s the problem. But on the trade market, the sheer amount of teams still within striking distance of playoff spots is complicating things, as Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Wednesday.
The M’s have the ammo needed in their farm system to make an eyebrow-raising deal, but Schoenfield isn’t so sure the market is going to feature impact bats worth parting with a player like catcher Harry Ford, who is the No. 23 overall prospect in baseball and Seattle’s No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline.
“Is there a hitter out there that you’re going to trade Harry Ford for? I don’t know if there is,” Schoenfield said. “Are you going to trade Harry Ford for a Vladimir Guerrero? (Those are) the kind of options that you might have to consider, and frankly, I don’t know if I’d want to do that. Guerrero’s probably the best guy I can think of who might be available to fill the need at first base or DH. Do you wanna tear apart your farm system to add him? Is that enough? That’s kind of what the front office is asking itself.”
