The Phillies, Giants and Blue Jays are among the teams that touched base with the Mariners regarding Teoscar Hernández, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link). Morosi indicates upwards of six teams have been involved and that a deal involving Hernández before tomorrow’s deadline looks increasingly probable.
None of that registers as a surprise. Seattle has hinted at potentially dealing short-term veterans for a couple weeks. They began that by sending Paul Sewald to Arizona for three controllable hitters this afternoon. While Sewald had an extra year of arbitration, Hernández is a few months from the open market.
The veteran outfielder is amidst a down season. He carries a .238/.288/.408 batting line through 441 plate appearances into play Monday night. He’s connected on 16 home runs but is striking out a lofty 32% clip, his highest mark since 2019. Hernández got off to a dreadful start to his Seattle tenure. He’d seemed to turn the corner with a .303/.376/.573 showing in June before a massive .198/.248/.287 slump this month.
Despite the middling season, Hernández is a straightforward change-of-scenery target. He hit .283/.333/.519 through his last three years in Toronto. While his offensive numbers have collapsed this year, he’s arguably playing the best defense of his career. Hernández has rated as a below-average right fielder for the bulk of his career but gotten solid marks (+5 Defensive Runs Saved, +1 run above average per Statcast) across 801 1/3 innings there this year.
Each of the teams linked to his market has expressed an interest in adding some right-handed punch. It’d be a bit surprising to see the Blue Jays circle back on Hernández nine months after trading him, but the acquisition cost this summer would be much lower than what they received from Seattle (reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko). Toronto has left-handed hitting Daulton Varsho and Brandon Belt at left field and designated hitter, respectively, though Varsho has been better against same-handed pitching this season.
Philadelphia is openly targeting a right-handed hitting corner outfielder. With Bryce Harper able to play first base, they’re looking to move Kyle Schwarber to DH and add some pop in left field. They’ve also been linked to the Mets’ Tommy Pham and Red Sox’s Adam Duvall.
San Francisco and Seattle are frequent trade partners. They just lined up a deal this evening that sent AJ Pollock and Mark Mathias to the Bay Area. Pollock is having a poor enough season that Hernández could still be of interest. San Francisco will be without Mitch Haniger into September and just placed Mike Yastrzemski on the injured list for the third time this season. They have Austin Slater on hand as a right-handed hitting outfielder but enough short-term uncertainty in left field to make Hernández a potential fit.
Hernández is making $14MM this season. He’s due around $4.67MM through year’s end.
He strikes out a lot. He’s practically a Phillie already.
Seattle’s offense is second in the MLB in strikeouts. Home runs are virtually the only way to score runs at T mobile park so Dipoto tried to go power heavy.
What? Lol first they definitely didn’t go power heavy. Second tmobile is built for gap to gap hitters
Right and left center are far too shallow to encourage extra base hits. As an example, in 2022 t mobile park was ranked last for triples, 19th for home runs. Its far easier to hit a home run there.
To add to this, the colder, higher humidity air limits carry and combined with the small dimensions, keeps the ball in front of outfielders to severely limit extra base hits. The team has attempted to negate the issue through use of a humidor.
Also, there are numerous examples of Dipoto valuing power throughout the roster; Suarez, Hernandez, Raleigh, Kelenic and Ford, just to name players on the 26 man roster with high strikeout totals. The strategy is clearly to negate the denser air enough to hit a few home runs over the short fence.
Yep, if there’s one thing the Phillies don’t need it’s a RH version of Kyle Schwarber. But at least Teoscar is hitting over the Mendoza line.
I’m fine with Rojas in CF and Marsh in LF. Runs saved on defense are just as important as runs cored on offense.
Thus, I don’t want to see Schwarber wearing any sort of glove until he breaks out his Isotoners this winter.
Giants already got Pollock from Mariners so could have gotten him in Trade.
A trade? Really?
That would be something.
At least half of those teams are feigning interest to bring down the price of other free agents they are truly interested in. The other half was conjured up.
And yet one of those teams will probably trade for him. What will you say, then?
Will be tonight or overnight because been a couple hours since last Trade.
Of course one of those teams will probably get him. It was a little humor. But, I do know for a fact that there is a lot of BSing when it comes to these trades. A lot of times, trade rumors are intentionally leaked to drive down the price of actual targets.
Teoscar never really earned his keep here in Seattle.
Just a bold venture that never panned out.
Please Phillies no. We don’t need a low average, some power…and a lack of walks in this lineup. Please pass
And no defense. Oh wait the Philly’s don’t value defense.
Please, Mr Dombrowski, give Rojas a chance to contribute. Don’t push a declining veteran in front of this promising kid.
Abso-effin-lutely about playing Rojas everyday in CF. The kid makes contact, plays GG caliber defense and can cause havoc on the bases with his speed.
Agree, we don’t need some .220 hitting stiff taking his place in the line up. And if Dombro does trade for a RH bat to play LF, I prefer Marsh to sit, not Rojas.
Marsh has limited power and strikes out almost at the same rate as Schwarber. Plus Marsh’s defense goes AWOL on occasion.
Which has cost them at least 5 games this season and we are just starting August
On the cheap he isn’t a bad get for the Giants but they need at least one starting pitcher far more than an outfielder
The hitting has been bad recently though.
Yes very bad especially with RISP, but just two months ago they had one of the better offenses in baseball. I think when their health improves they’ll end up with a good enough offense
Hey Phillies you need a right handed bat, the Mets will trade you Pham for Orion Kerkering, the Mets can use him in the bullpen
I would like to see Pham with Joc on same team — that would make for some interesting fantasy football
Nah, we’re keeping Kerkering.
Hernandez would fit in with the other Phillies…striking out a ton, not hitting with RISP. It’s not what they need right now.
Giants K more than Phillies
So not with the Giants need either it seems.
PHI can use him or Pham. I doubt NYM would have any hesitation of dealing spare parts with a division rival. Fans feed the rivalry – GMs are businessmen. It’s only Rizzo in DC who seems hypersensitive about trading in division
Giants are only interested in Ex-Dodgers. I figure who they trade will only worsen the deal, teoscar won’t put them over the hump.
Should have inked Belli then
They tried as I recall.
Dipoto LFG… throw in some money and get us a decent prospect corner infielder…
Gotta love the message ownership is sending to the M’s players. If ownership doesn’t care about winning why would the players worry.
What message is that? If you don’t perform we will trade you?
This team isn’t going to win anything. The team is mediocre and they know it. Teo should absolutely be traded, it will have zero effect on the team’s record and may even improve. I am glad they traded Sewald but disappointed in the return. Its about time the front office sent a message to the team.. a little late IMO. Crazy how the team could be so bad with pitching this good.
Its no secret that the Mariners have been the definition of an average team all year. But they seem to be playing well right now…and look at the rest of their schedule! 7 games vs KC, 6 games vs OAK, 3 games vs ChiSox if they win 12 of those 16 games ….and they maintain their .500 against all other teams then they’ll finish the season with 90+ wins …Not sure if it’ll be good enough to get back to the post season but it could be. Which is why I expect a BIG BAT to be acquired before the end of tomorrow!
Currently Mariners…
3rd best ERA in MLB
2nd fewest walks
5th fewest runs scored against
5th worst batting average
12th most homeruns
16th most runs scored
In July Mariners went 17-9 against Rays, Giants, Astros, Twins, Tigers, BlueJays, DBacks & RedSox
Some good points. Schedule is favorable. They are playing better in July. I just dont think there is even a big bat out there to be traded. Hoping for the best though!
What are the M’s gonna win with this year? Above average pitching that gets bit by below average hitting with RISP, especially Teoscar. Let’s face it, it’s going to be a dogfight going down the stretch for WC spots. Whoever gets hot the middle of September.
Don’t come talk crap about the Mariners because Scrooge McCohen decided to open up his money vault and couldn’t buy a championship. I can’t believe we’re still not letting Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame, but Steve Cohen can literally blow through barriers in the payroll cap like a getaway car in a jewelry heist and nobody even blinks an eye. Say what you want, but we’re the team nobody wants to face, just ask the Rays, Astros, Giants, Diamondbacks, Twins, Blue Jays, and Red Sox. The Tigers got away with two wins because we under estimated Kerry Carpenter’s ability to morph into Babe Ruth for a 3 game series, even then we were very close to taking 2-of-3.
Phillies…don’t need the MLB leader in strike (141) outs added to their already high strike out team.
What about Gurriel the diamondbacks have fletcher, and he’s a free agent at the end of the year.
None of the supposed Phillies targets seem worth much. The two young Phillie OFers seem better anyway.
Agreed. It’s going to be a boring deadline for the Phillies. Really if Turner, Realmuto and Schwarber start hitting, they’d be fine, but it just seems like an off year offensively.
The last thing the Phillies need is more strikeouts. Pass
Phillies like no-glove hitters so Teoscar would fit in nicely. Defensive stats aside, Hernandez is a butcher in the outfield.
Seattle might want to consider a QO and keep him.
No please don’t trade for Teoscar, just leave him where he is
Rojas and Pache are better than Hernandez, why bother
Stop