The Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 13-1 on Friday night to run their impressive early-season record to 19-12. The M’s lead the American League West and are trying to win their first division title since the 2001 season this year.
Though the Mariners have played very well through 31 games, it’s worth noting how beat up the roster has been. George Kirby and Matt Brash haven’t thrown a single pitch this season, and Gregory Santos is currently on the 60-day injured list after knee surgery. Ryan Bliss is out for the season after tearing his left bicep and Victor Robles is on the 60-day injured list as well. On top of that, Dylan Moore is on the injured list and Luke Raley is expected to miss two months with an oblique issue.
The Mariners have tapped into their farm system for help, with Emerson Hancock, Logan Evans, Leo Rivas and Rhylan Thomas each providing a boost. And it looks like it may have to stay that way, as ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney recently told the Refuse to Lose podcast that the trade options will be limited this year.
I think, generally in my conversations with executives around the sport, they assume that if they’re going to get help, mostly it’s going to be internal answers. Because the bottom line is that, the conditions for the trade market this year, the early indications are it’s going to be a really thin trade market. We’ve talked about how equal these teams are in the American League. That means it more likely that a would-be seller is going to say ’no, we’re going to try to hold our team together because we think we can compete.’
And if you look at the National League, it’s more top heavy with great teams at the top and bad teams at the bottom like the Marlins and the Colorado Rockies. But one executive pointed out to me those teams don’t really have guys. The White Sox have traded away most of the guys that they want to deal. So the executives I’m talking to are saying ’yeah, when we get to late July, they just don’t think that there are going to be a lot of guys that are going to be difference making that are going to be available unless the American League suddenly has a shake up and two or three teams drop out.
You can listen to the full interview with Olney in the player below:
The Mariners will play the Rangers again on Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. PT.
NEW PODCAST IS OUT! Brady is back for another episode of “Refuse to Lose,” talking about the recent series sweep over the Los Angeles and how he feels about Seattle after the first 30 games. Then, he has a deeper discussion about the “Control the Zone” mantra of the last decade and how maybe it’s morphed this season. Furthermore, we get the definitive answer from one ESPN personality on the struggles for Julio Rodriguez. Also, Joe Doyle of Overslot talks M’s success, sustainability and the big opportunity the team has in the draft. CLICK HERE:
ON THE MEND: The Mariners are badly wounded right now, but they are expected to get Dylan Moore back soon. When? CLICK HERE:
WHAT’s CHANGED: MLB Network delivered an awesome break down of what adjustments Jorge Polanco has made this season at the plate. CLICK HERE:
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