The expanded playoff field and the tightly bunched middle class of MLB clubs, so to speak, leaves few defined sellers, even with under two weeks until this year’s Aug. 31 trade deadline. It’s become increasingly common in recent years for analytically driven front offices to wait until the final day or two to make significant moves anyhow, but that could be all the more true in 2020. Baseball’s most active general manager on the trade front, Seattle’s Jerry Dipoto, spoke with Jim Bowden and Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM recently (Twitter link, with audio) to discuss that notion and his expectations for a unique deadline season.
“A lot of teams are still trying to sort out whether they are actually in this or not and how much they want to push the chips into the middle of the table,” says Dipoto. “We’ve received a handful of phone calls, particularly on the pitching, which is where we may have some attractive targets toward the end of the month. We’re open, as we always are, to any type of inquiry and discussion.”
Seattle indeed has some arms that seem like obvious targets. Righty Taijuan Walker is healthy again and out to a decent start while playing on a cheap one-year deal. Reliever Matt Magill was blown up for five runs in his latest outing, but he’s pitched well for Seattle since last season outside of that nightmare appearance. It’s overwhelmingly unlikely that a team would be able to pry Marco Gonzales away from the M’s — he’s signed affordably through 2024 with a 2025 club option — but it’s only logical to think that clubs have at least inquired (and been rebuffed).
Dipoto, though, gives the impression that around the league — and not specifically with the Mariners — there could be a different vibe and a different trend at this year’s deadline. Without directly acknowledging the revenue losses brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic (but clearly alluding to them), Dipoto suggests that arbitration-eligible players and those on expensive, guaranteed contracts aren’t likely to change hands all that much. There’s already been plenty of speculation about a huge wave of non-tenders this winter as teams look to recoup their losses, and picking up such mid-range players only adds another pricey line item to an ownership group’s budget.
“It’s likely to be a little bit more young-player driven than normal trade markets,” Dipoto says. “…I think you’re going to see a lot of the typical moves where a pending free agent is moved on at the trade deadline, and you’re going to see at least some rumblings about young-player-for-young-player ‘challenge’ deals, because the middle ground — the established veteran players either in the arb system or already generating high-level paychecks — I think those guys are likely to stay still. But the pending free agents and the younger players, I think have a chance to be movers in these last two weeks.”
Dipoto is but one general manager of course, and it’s notable that his club in particular doesn’t have many arb-eligible players who’d represent trade pieces at the moment. Injured players like Mitch Haniger, Tom Murphy and Carl Edwards Jr. aren’t going to be moved, and Mallex Smith was optioned to the team’s alternate training site yesterday after a dismal start to the year. J.P. Crawford is considered a long-term piece. That said, Dipoto surely has a sense of what’s going on elsewhere in the league, and a slow-moving market for arb-eligible players aligns with previous reports and speculation.
Viewed through that lens, perhaps this will be a relatively quiet deadline in Seattle. A deal involving Walker certainly seems feasible, but it’s tough to see the Mariners agreeing to part with much in the way of young pitching. Justus Sheffield is pitching well but is also controlled through 2025, just as Gonzales is. Parting with either would be more a step backward than forward. Swapping out a promising young arm who’s struggled (e.g. Justin Dunn) for a position player in a similar rut could fit the “challenge” deal mold that Dipoto referenced, but that’s reading pretty heavily into what appeared to be a broader statement about the league as a whole.
Whether the Mariners play a prominent role or not, trade chatter figures to ramp up considerably in the coming days. Dipoto’s comments offer an interesting glimpse into the type of rumors that could begin to swirl and the deals that could come together.
Can we please find a way to trade Jordan Lyles for Kyle Seager? We eat Seager’s contract, and even throw in an extra prospect or two. Please…. these are cries for help.
As tempting of an offer as that might be, it’ll take a bit more to pry Seager away. And the final offer definitely won’t include Lyles.
No way we trade Seager to a division foe when we are on the cusp of contending by the year 2043. Or later. Probably much later.
Seager, Walker, Magill, Williams, Altavilla – who else would another team want that ISNT part of the young core? Nola would be on that list as well but the Mariners don’t really have another acceptable catcher.
What is meant by challenge deals (see the quote “young-player-for-young-player ’challenge’ deals”)? Anyone?
Last season’s Jazz Chisholm for Zac Gallen was a challenge deal. Two highly ranked prospects that are traded 1 v 1 because each would benefit the other team.
I guess another one is the Padres-Brewers trade last off-season that sent Grisham and Davies to the Pads for Urias and Lauer. Again, young players that would benefit the other team more than their current one.
This instead of the typical, older player for a couple of prospects.
Clearly Diaz for Kelenic
Wow, didn’t realize Dipoto was still there, what a poorly run team.
What? Poorly run? They fleeced the Mets of Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn for an aging Cano and an unexpectedly bad Edwin Diaz. They groomed Kyle Lewis as a homegrown player (and maybe even upcoming star). They’ve drafted well, made some nifty trades the past couple years… What more do you want? Of course they are bad right now, but they are also rebuilding. It’s a great organization.
“Great organization” – noun – A rebuilding team that hasn’t made it to the playoffs since 2001.
Lol, okay great organization is a stretch… for right now anyways. Here – “Trending in a successful direction”.
@Sadler Haha, reminded me of the infamous Dave Cameron 6th best organization meme.
Well played Sadler. Sorry Rangers, can’t call an organization “great” until they actually back it up. Any franchise can harvest young prospects.
You can’t blame Dipoto for the failures of all the front offices that fleeced the organization before he arrived. Judge Dipoto on what he has built. And clearly he’s been an organization that is trending in the right direction. That can’t be said of any plan previous GMs have put forth.
It isn’t Dipoto’s fault. He was hired in September 2015 and the Mariners were SUPPOSED to be in a competitive window. He couldn’t come in and take it all down so he was forced to try and run with what he had.
I guess we will agree to disagree, I’m not going to fall over myself giving credit to a GM who blew up an 89-win team just for job security. He should have way more to show for 5+ years on the job except for one trade and one draft pick but he doesn’t because his vision is schizophrenic and he will do whatever he has to for self-preservation (which is now an infinite rebuild with no end in sight). They’re still in awful shape overall and even worse shape when you consider their playoff drought and how tough the AL West is to gain traction in.
You are directly contradicting yourself. How can Dipoto be responsible for an infinite rebuild when he’s been in charge for 5 seasons? Not 5+..just 5. He got the job in SEPTEMBER 2015. The team was already well established and even passed the trade deadline by the time he was in control.
Also, if Dipoto hadn’t blown that team up, the Mariners would have been stuck with Cano, Diaz and Segura rather than the Mets and Phillies. That would have been just as uggly but with a higher payroll.
You don’t have to fall over yourself to justify Dipoto but it would be nice if you could be fare minded in your evaluations.
I love the Mariners because they keep the Angels out of last place.
The Angels, a “contending team” is kept out of last place by a rebuilding team and all that separates the two is a game and a half. Go ahead. Feel pride.
SCM – Ummm, I was bagging on the Angels more than the Mariners so you can chill a bit. We have an all-star lineup with a last place record…pathetic.
Chill? Did I come off as excited or something?
Sorry about that. Bagging on the Angels didn’t exactly jump off the page.
If Diaz was Mo like he was with the Mrs trading Kelenic would be worth it. However not everyone can handle playing in NY.
Yes, chill. You seem to want to start controversy where there isn’t any. The Angels suck. Thankfully the Mariners suck just a little bit more. That’s my point.
I couldn’t play in NY. I hate shaving.
That’s funny considering you got upset over Astros cheating. Your team won with two child molestors on the team…….
jdubz – who is that comment for?
No desire to start controversy. You just weren’t clear with your intentions in your original comment. Hell, look at your last comment to jdubz. You look like someone ready to go to war in a comment section. Want to be sure the comment was directed at you before you bite off someone else’s head?
Ha. No Myth. I was just curious to know who jdubz was talking to because I didn’t understand his comment. It didn’t seem to be relevant to the thread. Just looking for clarification.
…and I have no idea how asking someone who their comment was for is interpreted as me being ready to go to war in any instance. That’s a stretch.
Prov356 it was NYYFan Roger Clemens and Chad Curtis were the two who I was referring to.
Thanks dubz. I figured as much. Cheers.
If they trade Seager, then they’ll need a Third Baseman. I’d like to see something creative like Noelvi Marte, George Kirby, Brandon Williamson for Xander Bogaerts. Not sure who would say No to that one.
I am guessing the Mariners say no to that one. Not sure they are close enough to contending to trade for Bogaerts. Then again, Boston may say no as well, I think they are planning on contending again sooner rather than later, and trading Bogaerts definitely makes it harder for them to contend sooner.
Marco Gonzales for Ian Anderson. If Hamels can get 4 starts in before the playoffs and stay healthy, Fried, Gonzales, and Hamels will play with that lineup. Braves can’t afford to hold on to another pitcher to long, they need reliable innings and Marco is controlled for a few more years. I know the M’s will ask for more, but with Ian as a starting point the secondary pieces shouldn’t keep a deal from happening.
Bet there is a trade between now and next season involving the Ms and a jays catcher