Five trade targets who could help Mariner’s offense

SEATTLE – Last week, manager Scott Servais implored his hitters to tweak their approach at the plate, hoping to cut down on the team’s soaring strikeout rate.

There have been some encouraging baby steps since, notably the back-to-back victories over Miami this week in which the Mariners combined for 18 hits and 17 runs.

Is the new approach enough to propel the Mariners (33-34) back into the playoff chase?

Perhaps.

More likely, though, the Mariners will need to augment their offense with an upgrade somewhere in their lineup before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Jerry Dipoto, the president of baseball operations, jumped the market last year with a move to acquire Carlos Santana in late June. Could he do it again before the All-Star break this season?

Tyler O’Neill, OF, Cardinals

The Cardinals have a surplus of outfielders and could use pitching help. The Mariners have pitching depth and could use another outfielder. Seems like a perfect marriage, right? O’Neill is a one-time Mariners prospect, traded to St. Louis in 2017 for Marco Gonzales. O’Neill, 27, has been out since early May with a back strain, and the Cardinals’ struggles this season have prompted much trade speculation. The Mariners could be intrigued to bring O’Neill back in a low-cost, low-stakes move. The more intriguing option from the Cardinals outfield is Dylan Carlson, a 24-year-old former top prospect who hasn’t quite lived up to the billing. He would cost the Mariners more in a deal – likely a legitimate prospect – but Carlson could be worth it. An even more intriguing option from St. Louis is Nolan Gorman, a 23-year-old second baseman, who would be an ideal fit, but the Mariners would have to offer one of their top young pitchers as a starting point. It’s probably a long shot that the Cardinals would entertain any offers for Gorman, but the Mariners ought to at least ask.

Cody Bellinger, OF, Cubs

The 2019 National League MVP, Bellinger struggled the past few seasons, prompting the Dodgers to nontender him last offseason. He signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Cubs in the offseason, hoping to set himself up for a long-term deal next offseason. Bellinger was off to a nice start in Chicago before a knee injury last month, and his defensive versatility is an added bonus. He can play anywhere in the outfield (and, thus, give Teoscar Hernandez more DH at-bats) and back up Ty France at first base. Dipoto generally doesn’t like to target rental players, but Bellinger is talented enough to be an exception.

Tim Anderson, SS, White Sox

The White Sox are a mess, and some have speculated that could force them to start a full-blown rebuild. Anderson, the former AL batting champ, has a club option (at $14 million) for 2024, and his struggles at the plate (.253/.292/.298 slash) this season could help motivate the White Sox to unload him in a salary dump. (Veteran starter Lance Lynn could fall into the same category, and the Mariners might wind up needing a fifth starter if Gonzales’ flexor strain keeps him sidelined deep into the summer.) In Seattle, Anderson would have to slide over to second base, as a hedge bet for the Mariners with rookie second baseman Jose Caballero.

Jonathan India, 2B, Reds

The Reds have a logjam in the infield after calling up big prospect Elly De La Cruz last week. As with Gorman and the Cardinals, the Mariners would have to give up a hefty haul to acquire India, but he’s good enough to consider it. The Mariners and Reds have pulled off two major trades in the past 16 months – bringing Luis Castillo, Eugenio Suarez and, gulp, Jesse Winker to Seattle. Could they do it again?

Joey Meneses, DH, Nationals

This falls into the fall-back category. The Mariners, no doubt, will try to make a bigger splash, but Meneses would represent an upgrade as a platoon DH/backup first baseman/pinch-hitter. Meneses was a great story for the Nationals last year, making his MLB debut at age 30 after the Nationals traded Juan Soto, then clubbing 13 homers in 56 games to establish himself.