The Mariners are in talks with free agent slugger Mark Trumbo, ESPN’s Jim Bowden writes. MLB.com’s Greg Johns confirms (via Twitter) that the two sides have spoken, although he characterizes talks as being somewhat less serious than Bowden suggests.
Trumbo and current Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto were once both in the Angels organization, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Trumbo and the Mariners have touched base. Trumbo would add even more power to a lineup that already contains Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Jean Segura and Kyle Seager, and the Mariners can certainly use a bit of outfield help.
Trumbo, then, could be a very tempting target for Seattle after a season in which he batted .256/.316/.533 with a league-leading 47 home runs. He could conceivably fit into the Mariners’ mixes in the outfield and at first base until Cruz’s contract expires following the 2018 season, at which point he could perhaps move to DH. Trumbo does, however, come with caveats, particularly at the $60MM price tag we predict he’ll command over four years — he frequently strikes out and isn’t strong defensively, and past editions of Mariners teams were weighted down by too many sluggers who lacked defensive value. Trumbo also rejected a qualifying offer.
They traded him for Steve Clevenger in a salary dump last offseason. I don’t know if he’d want to go back.
Dipoto would be a fool to sign him, especially after dumping his salary last year, only to sign him for more money and lose a draft pick this year. I would hope this is an attempt to drive up his cost for the O’s to overpay.
Dipoto will sign him just so he can trade him a third time
you win. this is perfect hahahahaha
That is a good point
Comedy
I want him back, imagine having to face a lineup with Segura, Seager, Cano, Cruz, and Trumbo. If they get Trumbo, I think their lineup could rival anyone in baseball
You’re forgetting that Trumbo isn’t good
Trumbo hit 47 home runs last year with an 850 OPS. Those aren’t bad stats
Besides, over his entire career he has averaged 34 home runs and 99 RBI per 162 games. That is really good
He also provides a below average OBP, is a year removed from having a pretty poor season (majority of those AB’s in SEA of all places), provides absolutely no value defensively – with Cruz already taking the DH spot, they would be forced suffer through Trumbo giving up runs in the field for two years – and is a terrible baserunner.
Or, Cruz picks up a glove and is a butcher there too.
But Trumbo hits dingers, though.
And segura is still a question mark had a career year in his first year in a hitters park now he moves to Seattle anything but. Not to mention how was trumbos last time in Seattle?
Spent parts of four seasons in Milwaukee. Miller Park is definitely a hitters’ park.
Trumbo was actually good offensively he was terrible on defense tho.
Really….if we want Trumbo(NOT) why not just pay a little extra and pay EE?
EE can’t play outfield
We don’t need another OF, a right handed first base option or DH when Cruz goes to RF.
If your comfortable with Gamel playing 130 games, then you’re right
I absolutely am….defensively, not quite sure offensively, but he was quite impressive last year in AAA so we’ll see.
I’ve seen Trumbo. He can’t play the outfield either.
We have Valencia for 1st base, and I don’t think Cruz will play too much outfield next year at all. 10 games max to give guys like cano and seager the occasional day off.
Only you take at least 1/3rd of trumbo’s and segura’s power away because they are playing at safeco. Segura will be a slightly above average hitter at best in safeco.
This is the dumbest thing in history of things.
surely attempt to sign Joey Bautista if they are in the market for an OF, Trumbo can’t defend, they have to give up a draftpick for either.
If you’re worried about D then Jose is not the player for you. He’s not Trumbo bad in the OF but he’s still really bad.
God I love the Mariners. Trade some useful assets for half a season of Trumbo, trade Trumbo in a salary dump move for a horrible catcher who you had to cut because it turned out he was a racist, then sign Trumbo for what will probably be too much money and will cost a 1st round pick.
@mkorpal Explain how anything Steve Clevenger said was ‘racist’. Politically incorrect, maybe, but “racist”, no. Steve Clevenger is not a racist.
I know baseball is a business, and the players understand that. But Mark Trumbo had to be at least a little peeved at the notion that he was traded during a salary dump. In fact Trumbo wasn’t even there long enough to get comfortable. The Mariners seemed to just give up on him the minute he arrived. But money talks. If the Mariners give him what he wants, he’ll get over it
pretty quick.
“Isn’t strong defensively” is a wildly polite understatement.
Why would the Ms want Trumbo when they already have a better DH in Cruz and each is horrible in the field? Trumbo is a good 1B, but then you’ve got Valencia in right, and Danny is best suited for first. And then there’s cost.
Trumbo isnt a fit for Seattle, no way/how.
Dan Vogelbach is an option at first base as well. Trumbo doesn’t make sense there.
Just please NOOOOOO!!!! I trust JD so far, don’t fail me now!
Seattle can sign Welington Castillo as well. Full on reunion.
Seattle should not sign Trumbo! Forfeiting hat much money for a hitter that would maybe hit 20 HRs in a ballpark as big as Safeco. Trumbo belongs in the AL East. If I’m Mark, I’m looking for 5 years, 75 Mill. for the Red Sox or Blue Jays. He’s a detrimental hitter in homer friendly ballparks. He’s awful otherwise.
Funny they said the same thing about Cruz. He’s put up 40 HRs season and Cano just hit 39 this year. Safeco Field isn’t a pitchers park like it used to be.
JD, how can you assume that in a full season he would only hit 20 homeruns in Seattle? The Mariners were 3rd in Home Runs last season. Guess which park had the most home runs hit in it last season…it was Safeco Field.
That whole idea that you can’t hit home runs in Safeco has been debunked.
Not to mention Mark Trumbo credits his career’s revival the last season to Edgar Martinez (Seattle Mariner’s hitting coach)
After Edgar was hired here the season Trumbo was a Mariner, Trumbo batted .280 with 13 home runs to end the season.
He has all the ability to be productive in Seattle at this point in time.
I feel bad that the Royals rain over the AL Central has ended so soon. Very similar to the Braves in 2000s, just not enough money to keep their young core together.
NO!! Didn’t you learn your lesson the first time Ms?
Yeah they learned not to trade him for a backup catcher who somehow always gets traded for a guy who has a monster year with his new team (trumbo, arrieta)
Maybe Jerry has some sort of plan that makes no sense right now and probally never will. Like sign Trumbo to play first, trade Vogelbach, Valencia… the more I think think about this it makes absolutely no sense.
This move makes sense because we are in a WIN NOW MODE. Vogey could be good this year…could take awhile to develop. Have Trumbo play 1B, either keep vogelbach as a backup but more likely trade him in a package to get a quality starting pitcher. Only have a 2-3 year window left and Trumbo fits this, even if it’s 25-30 hrs a year.
If I’m Dipoto, i hand over Seth Smith ($7M value) to the O’s for 2 prospects & cash to free up some cap space, and try to sign Trumbo for 3 yrs $44-46M. Cruz will gone after 2018, which gives us some more financial freedom for 2019, Trumbo splits time DH’ing w/ Cruz, and splits time at 1B making him an every day player, and Cruz splits time w/ Trumbo DH’ing and in RF, making him an every day player as well. Although Trumbo & Cruz don’t have great OBP, Robby Cano, Seager, and Jean Segura surely make up for that and the lineup will has as much power as anyone in the big leagues. Just between Trumbo, Cruz, Cano, and Seager…you’re looking at 140+ HRs. That would be a lineup that could take you far. We have a good foundation of prospects coming up in the next 1-3 years, so the time to spend is now because you won’t have to spend much once those young prospects come up and become everyday/platoon players.
C’mon Man!
His power plays in the right ballparks.
SafeCo is NOT the right ballpark.
You do realize that Safeco ranked 6th out of 30 ballparks in home run rate allowed.
Please for the love of god Jerry, no. Trade Seth Smith, use the money saved on both starting pitcher and an athletic corner OF
If I’m Dipoto, i hand over Seth Smith ($7M value) to the O’s for 2 prospects & cash to free up some cap space, and try to sign Trumbo for 3 yrs $44-46M. Cruz will gone after 2018, which gives us some more financial freedom for 2019, Trumbo splits time DH’ing w/ Cruz, and splits time at 1B making him an every day player, and Cruz splits time w/ Trumbo DH’ing and in RF, making him an every day player as well. Although Trumbo & Cruz don’t have great OBP, Robby Cano, Seager, and Jean Segura surely make up for that and the lineup will has as much power as anyone in the big leagues. Just between Trumbo, Cruz, Cano, and Seager…you’re looking at 140+ HRs. That would be a lineup that could take you far. We have a good foundation of prospects coming up in the next 1-3 years, so the time to spend is now because you won’t have to spend much once those young prospects come up and become everyday/platoon players.