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The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 2:40 am
by Seattle or Bust
Mariners trade RHP Teddy McGraw and RHP Michael Morales to the Astros for DH Christian Walker and $10M cash.
It is very clear the M's are missing a lethal right handed DH. Refsnyder is a failed project so the M's try again. Some might scoff at the idea of Christian Walker given that he's owed $20M in 2027 and his struggles in '25. That said, Walker put up a .799 second half OPS in '25 and is currently slashing to an .879 OPS with 15 bombs and league-leading 40 RBI's. He's basically been raking for a year now. Walker can also spell Naylor on days vs tough lefties at 1B. Is he old? Yeah. Is it a risk? Sorta... the $10M back from the Astros would eat half his remaining salary this year and $5M next year making him pretty affordable if he hits. But he's basically been good for 25-30 bombs and a .800+ OPS every year running. The Astros are headed for a rebuild and need to shed some cash. McGraw and Morales are older pitchers that could help with their rotation depth sooner rather than later.
Mariners DFA DH Rob Refsynder and call up OF Brennan Davis.
Davis gets his MLB chance, pushing Ref off the roster and Robles as a late-inning pinch hitter/defensive replacement. Davis has continued his torrid Spring Training with a very hot start in AAA. He has an 1.146 OPS vs lefties and would be a perfect platoon split with Canzone/Raley.
Mariners move RHP Luis Castillo to the bullpen full time.
Castillo has value has a potential multi-inning reliever. Have him tick up the stuff a bit and at least try to retain some value in what has turned into a rough contract. This also keeps him on the team... in case of an injury... you can stretch him in AAA for a couple starts and get him back in the rotation. Maybe he finds something in the bullpen that he take take into having confidence as a starter... who knows.
1. Brendan Donovan 3B
2. Julio Rodriguez CF
3. Randy Arozarena LF
4. Christian Walker DH
5. Cal Raleigh C
6. Josh Naylor 1B
7. Canzone/Raley or Davis/Robles
8. Cole Young 2B
9. Colt Emerson SS
Util: JP Crawford, C: Mitch Garver and the outfielders on a given day.
1. Bryan Woo
2. George Kirby
3. Logan Gilbert
4. Emerson Hancock
5. Bryce Miller
CL: Andres Munoz
HL: Matt Brash, Jose Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo
ML/LL: Gabe Spierer, Cooper Criswell, Alex Hoppe, Luis Castillo
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 4:21 am
by DavidGee24
Second and third ideas are good, although Castillo will probably sulk and they'll have to try to trade him.
Walker won't happen, not to mention if the Mariner organization told him he'd be the primary DH he'd tell them to stick it, and rightfully so.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 4:45 am
by Seattle or Bust
DavidGee24 wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2026 4:21 am
Second and third ideas are good, although Castillo will probably sulk and they'll have to try to trade him.
Walker won't happen, not to mention if the Mariner organization told him he'd be the primary DH he'd tell them to stick it, and rightfully so.
There's 60 RH bats with 100 wRC+ who have 100 plate appearances.
He's the only one that should be trade bait and truly fits an M's need.
Everyone else is on a contending team or young and productive so they won't be moved.
Only other bat I'd even sniff at is Taylor Ward if Baltimore falls off. But he's not doing what Walker is.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 5:55 am
by Bil522
Seattle or Bust wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2026 2:40 am
Mariners trade RHP Teddy McGraw and RHP Michael Morales to the Astros for DH Christian Walker and $10M cash.
It is very clear the M's are missing a lethal right handed DH. Refsnyder is a failed project so the M's try again. Some might scoff at the idea of Christian Walker given that he's owed $20M in 2027 and his struggles in '25. That said, Walker put up a .799 second half OPS in '25 and is currently slashing to an .879 OPS with 15 bombs and league-leading 40 RBI's. He's basically been raking for a year now. Walker can also spell Naylor on days vs tough lefties at 1B. Is he old? Yeah. Is it a risk? Sorta... the $10M back from the Astros would eat half his remaining salary this year and $5M next year making him pretty affordable if he hits. But he's basically been good for 25-30 bombs and a .800+ OPS every year running. The Astros are headed for a rebuild and need to shed some cash. McGraw and Morales are older pitchers that could help with their rotation depth sooner rather than later.
Mariners DFA DH Rob Refsynder and call up OF Brennan Davis.
Davis gets his MLB chance, pushing Ref off the roster and Robles as a late-inning pinch hitter/defensive replacement. Davis has continued his torrid Spring Training with a very hot start in AAA. He has an 1.146 OPS vs lefties and would be a perfect platoon split with Canzone/Raley.
Mariners move RHP Luis Castillo to the bullpen full time.
Castillo has value has a potential multi-inning reliever. Have him tick up the stuff a bit and at least try to retain some value in what has turned into a rough contract. This also keeps him on the team... in case of an injury... you can stretch him in AAA for a couple starts and get him back in the rotation. Maybe he finds something in the bullpen that he take take into having confidence as a starter... who knows.
1. Brendan Donovan 3B
2. Julio Rodriguez CF
3. Randy Arozarena LF
4. Christian Walker DH
5. Cal Raleigh C
6. Josh Naylor 1B
7. Canzone/Raley or Davis/Robles
8. Cole Young 2B
9. Colt Emerson SS
Util: JP Crawford, C: Mitch Garver and the outfielders on a given day.
1. Bryan Woo
2. George Kirby
3. Logan Gilbert
4. Emerson Hancock
5. Bryce Miller
CL: Andres Munoz
HL: Matt Brash, Jose Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo
ML/LL: Gabe Spierer, Cooper Criswell, Alex Hoppe, Luis Castillo
Good grief. Everyone seems to forget that Castillo kept the Mariners' rotation together last year when everyone was hurt, even with his reduced speed. Look, I am not a huge Castillo fan, but I do recognize he is getting better as he pitches. Older pitchers do eventually lose the ability to throw as hard as they used to, and they have to make a transition to the pitcher they are going to become. Felix couldn't make the transition, but I have the feeling Castillo will. Now I do think he will ultimately make the transition with another team. I just don't see him being happy in the pen, and I believe he will ultimately be traded. I like Castillo and a piece to the Red Sox for Willson Contreras way better than giving The Cheaters anything.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 5:57 am
by GL_Storm
Taylor Ward should be available. He's having a power outage though, so maybe there's an injury? But he has a .403 OBP which would be really nice.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 6:07 am
by Seattle or Bust
Bil522 wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2026 5:55 am
Seattle or Bust wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2026 2:40 am
Mariners trade RHP Teddy McGraw and RHP Michael Morales to the Astros for DH Christian Walker and $10M cash.
It is very clear the M's are missing a lethal right handed DH. Refsnyder is a failed project so the M's try again. Some might scoff at the idea of Christian Walker given that he's owed $20M in 2027 and his struggles in '25. That said, Walker put up a .799 second half OPS in '25 and is currently slashing to an .879 OPS with 15 bombs and league-leading 40 RBI's. He's basically been raking for a year now. Walker can also spell Naylor on days vs tough lefties at 1B. Is he old? Yeah. Is it a risk? Sorta... the $10M back from the Astros would eat half his remaining salary this year and $5M next year making him pretty affordable if he hits. But he's basically been good for 25-30 bombs and a .800+ OPS every year running. The Astros are headed for a rebuild and need to shed some cash. McGraw and Morales are older pitchers that could help with their rotation depth sooner rather than later.
Mariners DFA DH Rob Refsynder and call up OF Brennan Davis.
Davis gets his MLB chance, pushing Ref off the roster and Robles as a late-inning pinch hitter/defensive replacement. Davis has continued his torrid Spring Training with a very hot start in AAA. He has an 1.146 OPS vs lefties and would be a perfect platoon split with Canzone/Raley.
Mariners move RHP Luis Castillo to the bullpen full time.
Castillo has value has a potential multi-inning reliever. Have him tick up the stuff a bit and at least try to retain some value in what has turned into a rough contract. This also keeps him on the team... in case of an injury... you can stretch him in AAA for a couple starts and get him back in the rotation. Maybe he finds something in the bullpen that he take take into having confidence as a starter... who knows.
1. Brendan Donovan 3B
2. Julio Rodriguez CF
3. Randy Arozarena LF
4. Christian Walker DH
5. Cal Raleigh C
6. Josh Naylor 1B
7. Canzone/Raley or Davis/Robles
8. Cole Young 2B
9. Colt Emerson SS
Util: JP Crawford, C: Mitch Garver and the outfielders on a given day.
1. Bryan Woo
2. George Kirby
3. Logan Gilbert
4. Emerson Hancock
5. Bryce Miller
CL: Andres Munoz
HL: Matt Brash, Jose Ferrer, Eduard Bazardo
ML/LL: Gabe Spierer, Cooper Criswell, Alex Hoppe, Luis Castillo
Good grief. Everyone seems to forget that Castillo kept the Mariners' rotation together last year when everyone was hurt, even with his reduced speed. Look, I am not a huge Castillo fan, but I do recognize he is getting better as he pitches. Older pitchers do eventually lose the ability to throw as hard as they used to, and they have to make a transition to the pitcher they are going to become. Felix couldn't make the transition, but I have the feeling Castillo will. Now I do think he will ultimately make the transition with another team. I just don't see him being happy in the pen, and I believe he will ultimately be traded. I like Castillo and a piece to the Red Sox for Willson Contreras way better than giving The Cheaters anything.
Boston is trading the 10th best right handed hitter in baseball for Luis Castillo... one of the least valuable starters in baseball given contract and performance? When they're 9th in baseball in ERA and have 4x starters with ERA'S 3.33 or below? And their offense has a 90 wRC+?
Is the piece Ryan Sloan by chance?
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 6:16 am
by DavidGee24
Bil522 wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2026 5:55 am
Good grief. Everyone seems to forget that Castillo kept the Mariners' rotation together last year when everyone was hurt, even with his reduced speed. Look, I am not a huge Castillo fan, but I do recognize he is getting better as he pitches. Older pitchers do eventually lose the ability to throw as hard as they used to, and they have to make a transition to the pitcher they are going to become. Felix couldn't make the transition, but I have the feeling Castillo will. Now I do think he will ultimately make the transition with another team. I just don't see him being happy in the pen, and I believe he will ultimately be traded. I like Castillo and a piece to the Red Sox for Willson Contreras way better than giving The Cheaters anything.
I agree with you that Castillo isn't necessarily through, but with the other five starters we have plus Kade Anderson coming up, he's VERY expendable.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 6:27 am
by GL_Storm
I think the move could be Bryce Miller, with the idea of bringing back a pretty significant piece. I don't know what that piece is but I think if you're willing to make that move it probably opens up a lot of possibilities.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 2:47 pm
by Seattle or Bust
GL_Storm wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2026 6:27 am
I think the move could be Bryce Miller, with the idea of bringing back a pretty significant piece. I don't know what that piece is but I think if you're willing to make that move it probably opens up a lot of possibilities.
Why though? Why would you trade a young pitcher with 3.5 years of cheap control who seems to have hit his stride with his stuff?
The kid is averaging 97 mph on his fastball and hitters look super uncomfortable in the box against him.
I mean, all this in favor of making Luis Castillo happy? A now, no. 7 starter in your organization? Get rid of him or move him to the pen.
Re: The Other Mariners Midseason Master Plan
Posted: Wed May 27, 2026 2:50 pm
by Big_Maple
It’s a fine plan. I agree that we need a new DH, and whether that comes through trade, or internally through promotion I don’t care. I do think the penny conscious M’s would eat Ref’s contract at this point (or by the trade deadline) to make it happen.
Castillo has value has a potential multi-inning reliever. Have him tick up the stuff a bit and at least try to retain some value in what has turned into a rough contract. This also keeps him on the team... in case of an injury... you can stretch him in AAA for a couple starts and get him back in the rotation. Maybe he finds something in the bullpen that he take take into having confidence as a starter... who knows.
Castillo is not going anywhere. He has one more year after this one on his contract with ~ $45MM left. There is no way on god's green earth that they are going to relegate him to a bullpen role, even as a long reliever. He will piggyback, at best. What we, as fans, would want to see happen, and what will actually happen are light years apart. He has more than 5 years of service, so he can't be optioned to AAA (unless he agrees to it). And no one is going to want him, unless the M's eat contract and throw in prospects - which they won't. We are all delusional if we think that will happen.
Look at what the M's did with King Felix. It was obvious that he was a hollow shell of his former self the last 2 years of his contract. But the M's did not trade him - they tried coaching him, they tried working with pitch movement rather than velo, they strategically managed his workload, and only once did they send him to the bullpen (where his pitched 4 innings for Paxton in a single game and then got moved back into the rotation). So all of these fantasy trade proposals where the M's eat $20MM and throw in 3 prospects to land an Alex Bregman are pure fantasy - never gonna happen. He will stay in the starting rotation unless he gets hit by a bus. Who know - maybe he is more coachable than King Felix ever was.
And for the record - I agree with GL_Storm. I have long thought Miller is the best trade chip from the starting rotation. I have been worried about the bone spur in his throwing arm, and that it will land him on the IL for a long time sooner rather than later. Trade him now while he is healthy and has trade value. But even then, I doubt that's some Mariners management would ever want to do.