Another trade deadline plan.

[Seattle or Bust]

Mariners trade C Mitch Garver, RHP Michael Morales, RHP Casey Legumina to the Orioles for RHP Seranthony Dominguez

Why? The Orioles have lost both of their catchers to injury through at the least the AS break. Not that they'll be trying to win, but they need a body to catch for them. They also need starting pitching depth in their farm in the worst of ways, especially arms that will be ready soon. For the M's, Dominguez is a pure rental who is having a solid year for the O's w. 11 K's per 9 and a 3.52 ERA. The M's add another hard thrower to the back of their bullpen for the playoff push while also making room for Harry Ford to finish the year with the MLB roster.

Mariners trade LHP Brandyn Garcia, RHP Ashton Izzi to the Diamondbacks for 3B Eugenio Suarez

Why? Welcome back Geno for his poetic return. The Dbacks face a daunting climb in a top-heavy NL playoff race and just lost 2 arms from their rotation for the season. They could choose to sell and Geno would be a valuable trade chip to get some pitching back in return. The M's can't afford to roll with Williamson's bat the rest of the way, and add some serious thump and vibes back with Geno as a pure rental.

Mariners trade OF Luke Raley, RHP Gregory Santos to the Braves for 1B Matt Olson, RHP Pierce Johnson and cash

Why? This might sound insane... but perhaps the M's think Raley is expendable and Canzone is a long-term solution to platoon alongside Victor Robles in right field. Perhaps the Braves need a small reset. ATL need corner OF help badly and add Santos as a controlled replacement for Johnson. The M's add one of the best 1B's in baseball on an expensive, but somewhat affordable deal. Olson is on pace for another 6+ WAR season and is owed $22M a year until 2029... his age 35 season. Johnson is a solid reliever pitching to a 3.18 FIP with a $7M club option next season.

Roster:

1. JP Crawford SS
2. Julio Rodriguez CF
3. Cal Raleigh C
4. Matt Olson 1B
5. Geno Suarez 3B
6. Randy Arozarena LF
7. Jorge Polanco DH
8. Dom Canzone RF
9. Cole Young/Dylan Moore 2B

Bench: Donovan Solano 1B, Harry Ford C, Miles Mastruboner Util

1. Logan Gilbert
2. Bryan Woo
3. George Kirby
4. Luis Castillo
5. Emerson Hancock/Bryce Miller (whoever)

CL: Andres Munoz
HL: Matt Brash, Gabe Spierer
ML: Carlos Vargas, Pierce Johnson, Seranthony Dominguez, Eduard Bazardo, Jackson Kowar

[AZOldDawg]

How about Ford and change for O'Hearn. I don't see Ford staying with the M's as he watches Cal's dust.

[Donn Beach]

A top 100 prospect for a rental... yeah, let's have some trade proposals with a little pain involved. The suggestions here tend to be pain free. Unless there's some pain I don't find them very interesting

[Big_Maple]

Mariners trade OF Luke Raley, RHP Gregory Santos to the Braves for 1B Matt Olson, RHP Pierce Johnson and cash

Why? This might sound insane... but perhaps the M's think Raley is expendable and Canzone is a long-term solution to platoon alongside Victor Robles in right field. Perhaps the Braves need a small reset. ATL need corner OF help badly and add Santos as a controlled replacement for Johnson. The M's add one of the best 1B's in baseball on an expensive, but somewhat affordable deal. Olson is on pace for another 6+ WAR season and is owed $22M a year until 2029... his age 35 season. Johnson is a solid reliever pitching to a 3.18 FIP with a $7M club option next season.

As always, I appreciate the time and energy you put into these proposals, SoB. They feel a bit like trying to dump our worst hitters, and to that end I am not sure many of the deals would work unless we threw in a top 10 prospect or two. Your Gene Suarez proposal might work on paper, and he'd bring a little pop to third base as a 3 month rental. But I am not sure about the other two.

I'm on the record as saying I would LOVE to get Matt Olson. I wanted him when he played for the A's, and I still want him. I agree that he is one of the best 1B in baseball. But there is no way that proposal will work. For starters, the Braves built around him when they offered an unprecedented 8 year contract. They aren't about to let him go in the middle of his contract as he is still a key part of the organization.

Second, they don't have a backup plan if he is traded. They don't really have any MLB ready 1B prospects, and no one else on the roster has extensive 1B experience.

Third, the Braves aren't out of the hunt just yet. They are below .500, but I don't think their record screams fire sale. Acuna is back, and they have been 6-4 the last 10 games. So I am not sure they are incentivized to get rid of a marquee player.

Fourth, Olson is owed $22 million a year for the next 5 years which isn't in line with the goals of the FO to tighten the budget.

Now, they might be more inclined to consider a trade like this if we threw in Locklear - and maybe Ford to sweeten the deal. But even that's not enough - they would need one of our starters like Miller or Castillo as well. With Sale on the IL, they need a TOR starter, and a prospect won't cut it. This may sound like an overpay, but it's gotta be a blockbuster to get a legit 1B who is under team control for 5 more years, who is worth 3.1 WAR this season and has an OPS+ of 130. And he's a former gold glover who leads all first basemen in Outs Above Average (OAA) and Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) this season. So yeah, this guy can't be had for broke-assed Luke Raley and a reliever with -0.3 WAR and a 5+ERA.

But I do like the idea of making a hard run at Olson. He'd be an amazing upgrade and a long term solution at 1B for the next half decade.

Realistically (without access to Trade Calculator): SP Luis Castillo (as a salary offset), 1B Tyler Locklear and pitching prospect for 1B Matt Olson.

[Seattle or Bust]

A top 100 prospect for a rental... yeah, let's have some trade proposals with a little pain involved. The suggestions here tend to be pain free. Unless there's some pain I don't find them very interesting

Who is a top 100 prospect that I listed? None of these prospects are in the Mariners top 10 let alone 100.

[AZOldDawg]

A top 100 prospect for a rental... yeah, let's have some trade proposals with a little pain involved. The suggestions here tend to be pain free. Unless there's some pain I don't find them very interesting

Who is a top 100 prospect that I listed? None of these prospects are in the Mariners top 10 let alone 100.

I think he was responding to my Ford for O'Hearn deal. I just am afraid our window for winning isn't real large and we would have a decent shot to resign him.

[Seattle or Bust]

Mariners trade OF Luke Raley, RHP Gregory Santos to the Braves for 1B Matt Olson, RHP Pierce Johnson and cash

Why? This might sound insane... but perhaps the M's think Raley is expendable and Canzone is a long-term solution to platoon alongside Victor Robles in right field. Perhaps the Braves need a small reset. ATL need corner OF help badly and add Santos as a controlled replacement for Johnson. The M's add one of the best 1B's in baseball on an expensive, but somewhat affordable deal. Olson is on pace for another 6+ WAR season and is owed $22M a year until 2029... his age 35 season. Johnson is a solid reliever pitching to a 3.18 FIP with a $7M club option next season.

As always, I appreciate the time and energy you put into these proposals, SoB. They feel a bit like trying to dump our worst hitters, and to that end I am not sure many of the deals would work unless we threw in a top 10 prospect or two. Your Gene Suarez proposal might work on paper, and he'd bring a little pop to third base as a 3 month rental. But I am not sure about the other two.

I'm on the record as saying I would LOVE to get Matt Olson. I wanted him when he played for the A's, and I still want him. I agree that he is one of the best 1B in baseball. But there is no way that proposal will work. For starters, the Braves built around him when they offered an unprecedented 8 year contract. They aren't about to let him go in the middle of his contract as he is still a key part of the organization.

Second, they don't have a backup plan if he is traded. They don't really have any MLB ready 1B prospects, and no one else on the roster has extensive 1B experience.

Third, the Braves aren't out of the hunt just yet. They are below .500, but I don't think their record screams fire sale. Acuna is back, and they have been 6-4 the last 10 games. So I am not sure they are incentivized to get rid of a marquee player.

Fourth, Olson is owed $22 million a year for the next 5 years which isn't in line with the goals of the FO to tighten the budget.

Now, they might be more inclined to consider a trade like this if we threw in Locklear - and maybe Ford to sweeten the deal. But even that's not enough - they would need one of our starters like Miller or Castillo as well. With Sale on the IL, they need a TOR starter, and a prospect won't cut it. This may sound like an overpay, but it's gotta be a blockbuster to get a legit 1B who is under team control for 5 more years, who is worth 3.1 WAR this season and has an OPS+ of 130. And he's a former gold glover who leads all first basemen in Outs Above Average (OAA) and Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) this season. So yeah, this guy can't be had for broke-assed Luke Raley and a reliever with -0.3 WAR and a 5+ERA.

But I do like the idea of making a hard run at Olson. He'd be an amazing upgrade and a long term solution at 1B for the next half decade.

Realistically (without access to Trade Calculator): SP Luis Castillo (as a salary offset), 1B Tyler Locklear and pitching prospect for 1B Matt Olson.

Your welcome.

My dumping Garver to the Orioles (if that’s who you’re referring to for worst hitters) is simply because the Orioles have a pressing need for bodies at catcher just to finish the season. In taking on the remainder of the contract, they get the M’s minor league POY in ‘24 who could challenge for a rotation spot for them as soon as ‘26. They have one of the worst rotations in baseball and could use any and all help. They also get a controlled reliever in return for dumping a rental reliever who is making hefty scratch himself.

Or are you considering Raley one of our bad hitters? Raley has been a 3+ WAR OF the last 2 years and the Braves are currently rolling with 2x OF’s who are playing at basically replacement level. They control him cheaply for 4 more seasons and the free agent class for 1B’s: Alonso, Naylor, Hoskins, Goldschimdt is pretty good.

[Seattle or Bust]

A top 100 prospect for a rental... yeah, let's have some trade proposals with a little pain involved. The suggestions here tend to be pain free. Unless there's some pain I don't find them very interesting

Who is a top 100 prospect that I listed? None of these prospects are in the Mariners top 10 let alone 100.

I think he was responding to my Ford for O'Hearn deal. I just am afraid our window for winning isn't real large and we would have a decent shot to resign him.

Oh…

O’hearn would cost nothing near Ford. The M’s acquired Yonder Alonso for Boog Powell in what, 2017? When Alonso had like 20 bombs and .870 OPS.

At worst the Orioles would ask the M’s for a couple pitching prospects nowhere near the top of the M’s farm.

[Big_Maple]

Or are you considering Raley one of our bad hitters? Raley has been a 3+ WAR OF the last 2 years and the Braves are currently rolling with 2x OF’s who are playing at basically replacement level. They control him cheaply for 4 more seasons and the free agent class for 1B’s: Alonso, Naylor, Hoskins, Goldschimdt is pretty good.

Be that as it may, the trade package your proposed wouldn't work (IMHO) for all the reasons I stated. Raley is a slight upgrade over Harris, he's not much better than Ozuna, and Acuna is looking like an All Star right now. They have Kelenic waiting in the wings, but he's too inconsistent to be useful.

I think that trading Olson to upgrade their outfield is a clear case of robbing Peter to pay Paul (more like killing Peter to pay Paul since Olson is orders of magnitude better than Raley).

So yeah, maybe the Braves need to tweak things and look ahead to 2026. Maybe they will be sellers at the deadline. I dunno. But I can't imagine them trading Olson for Raley and a reliever from the back of the junk drawer.

[GL_Storm]

Is Seranthony Dominguez actually good? I don't know much about him other than his numbers and we all know how unreliable those can be for relievers. Obviously, it helps that he has a track record.