The Seattle Mariners will be seeking at least one corner infield upgrade at the trade deadline and have been linked to both Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With Seattle currently in a playoff spot, the team will do whatever they can to bring in one or both sluggers.
Suárez is the top hitter available at the trade deadline and will be harder to acquire, especially because a lot of teams want a third baseman with 36 home runs and 86 RBI.
However, Naylor would be an excellent consolation prize for the Mariners, and ESPN’s David Schoenfield predicts Seattle will land the 2024 All-Star.
He also thinks it would be possible to land both, given their outstanding farm system, but less likely.
“Naylor is another of Arizona's pending free agents and he'll cost a lot less than Suárez,” wrote Schoenfield. “Heck, if the Mariners are willing to take on the salaries -- unlikely, although if they offer a strong package of prospects, maybe Arizona kicks in some cash -- they could acquire both Naylor and Suárez and build a lethal lineup with Suárez hitting behind Cal Raleigh.
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“Absent that fanciful thinking, Naylor still makes sense as a solid contact hitter for a team that ranks in the bottom 10 of the majors in strikeout rate. Luke Raley can slide to right field or a bench role. The Mariners also need some bullpen depth and perhaps a right-handed bat that would provide an upgrade over Dylan Moore or Donovan Solano, but Naylor would be a nice addition, nonetheless.”
Naylor, 28, has 11 home runs and 59 RBI while slashing .292/.360/.447 in 93 games this season.
Adding Naylor to this offense would greatly benefit Most Valuable Player candidate Cal Raleigh, who is having a historic season and possibly the greatest offensive season by a catcher ever.
More MLB: Mariners-Diamondbacks trade proposal sends 2-time All-Star slugger to Seattle