Two weeks ago, I wrote about options for the Seattle Mariners to add at the trading deadline as they came out of the All-Star Break.
Since the break, the Mariners have gone 4-6, losing three of four to the division-leading Texas Rangers over the weekend. Before the trading deadline, the Mariners will face the MLB-leading Los Angeles Dodgers in LA before hosting a Minnesota Twins team that is one game ahead of them in the chase for a wild card spot. The Mariners are 2.5 games back of the division lead and two games out of a wild card. A lot will hinge on the next six games. Last season the Mariners leaned on Cal Raleigh to prop up a stagnant offense, but that wasn’t the case this year. They’ve been waiting all season for someone to get hot offensively, and the number of games remaining for that to happen is rapidly dwindling. Should the Mariners drop more than three of their upcoming games, they could be five games back of the playoffs, or worse, at the deadline. If that’s the case, it may be time for Seattle to pull the plug on 2026. If they do, here’s where they start:
1) Andres Munoz: After a rough start to the season, Munoz has appeared in seven games so far in July and has not given up a run, and all of his numbers are trending back in the right direction. He’ll be a free agent at the end of the season, and high-leverage arms are always in demand at the deadline. If the Mariners decide to move Munoz, it may be the clearest indication they are waving the white flag, as they have constantly relied on their bullpen to lock down the team’s many close games.
2) Randy Arozerena: The only 2026 All-Star selection is also their biggest pending free agent and only reliable hitter. At 31, there is very little chance the team wants to bring him back next year, no matter what happens this season. He’s having another fine season at the plate, with a .289 batting average and .379 on-base-percentage to go with 13 home runs, and while he’s lost a few steps defensively, he would be a fine addition to any lineup.
3) Cal Raleigh: We’ll go ahead and pull the band-aid off now. At this time last season, Raleigh was one of the best baseball players on the planet, amid a historic campaign. 365 days later, Raleigh is statistically one of the worst everyday players in Major League Baseball. His power is gone, his bat speed is gone, his defense is gone, his ability to hit the ball hard is gone – all practically overnight. Players in the prime of their career typically don’t forget how to play baseball at a major league level overnight. What the hell happened to Cal Raleigh between the 2025 and 2026 seasons may be a study for years to come for MLB teams. He’s under contract for another 4 years and $73 million. His contract balloons beginning in 2028, going from $12 million in 2026 and 2027 to $23 million each of the final three years. It’s never great to sell low on a player who should have won the MVP award 10 months ago, but if the team wants to get out of the remaining years of the contract, now maybe the best time to do it. His massive 2025 season is sure to have at least a few teams believing he’s fixable and willing to surrender more for him than they would if he continues to play like this in 2027.
4) Luis Castillo: This one would be tough. The Mariners are still on the hook for $48 million of Castillo’s salary over the next two years, and at 33 with an 81 ERA+ and declining velocity, he appears to be at the end of the line as a functional starting pitcher. The Mariners would love to move the money to clear space to sign other members of the starting rotation to contract extensions. Still, any attempt to trade Castillo would likely involve either trading for another dead contract or taking little to nothing back in return.
5) Gabe Speier: Speier has been one of the team’s best left-handed options in the bullpen. Lefty power arms are also a prized commodity at the deadline, and considering that Speier is controllable not just for this season, but for 2027 as well before hitting free agency, he may be able to bring back more of a return. Left-handed hitters are hitting just .149 against him this season, and he has yet to allow a home run to a lefty this year. He would also be fine as a closer for a team that needs one. His ERA in save situations is 0.69 this year, and he has proven capable of closing out games when needed.
