Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners closing in on trade
Photo credit: seat geek
The Seattle Mariners come to town for a three-game series this weekend, with both teams entering the summer in compelling, if somewhat uncertain, situations.
Seattle faces significant pressure to show that their early-season offensive surge is the real deal and to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Meanwhile, the team they defeated in that postseason, Toronto, is simply trying to prove it still has a promising future.
Mariners could pursue trade for Blue Jays star shortstop Bo Bichette.
Jackson Roberts from The Sporting News writes that the Blue Jays were sellers at last July's trade deadline, and if they don't improve on their 17-20 start, they could be in that position again. While they locked up first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. before he reached free agency, several other notable players on expiring contracts could still draw interest.
"That group includes a two-time All-Star infielder who one baseball writer believes the Mariners should have their eyes on this weekend." -Roberts
On Friday, FanSided's Zachary Rymer suggested the Mariners should explore trade options with the Blue Jays this summer, highlighting shortstop Bo Bichette as a particularly good fit for Seattle, potentially as a rental at second base.
"We know from Adam Jude of The Seattle Times that the Mariners were monitoring the infield market after Ryan Bliss went down with a torn biceps in early April. While Ben Williamson, J.P. Crawford, and the tandem of Dylan Moore and Leo Rivas have stabilized things since then, Bichette still stands out as a guy who could be of use to Seattle." -Jude
Bichette has never played any position other than shortstop at the major league level. However, transitioning from shortstop to second base is typically a smooth move for most players.
"The 27-year-old is a career .289 hitter, and too much is being made of his power outage (i.e., five home runs) across the last two seasons. His expected slugging percentage this year is .496, well above his career mark of .469." -Jude
This season is the final year of Bichette's three-year, $33 million extension. While he's aiming for a much larger payday in free agency, he'll need to maintain consistent performance at the plate throughout the summer, whether he's in Toronto, Seattle, or another team.
Source:
The Sporting News
Mariners encouraged to pursue blockbuster trade for Blue Jays' $33 million All-Star
The Sporting News
Mariners encouraged to pursue blockbuster trade for Blue Jays' $33 million All-Star
| POLL | ||
MAI 10 | 1790 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners closing in on trade Do you think the Blue Jays will trade Bo Bichette by this year's trade deadline? | ||
| yes | 988 | 55.2 % |
| no | 802 | 44.8 % |
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