The simple, compelling case for the Mariners being aggressive at the deadline regardless of 2023 positioning

Regardless of the club's fortunes the next 10 days, the Mariners should be trying to buy an impact bat.

Subscribers to Baseball Things have heard me repeat this for years, but it’s worth going over in more detail. Basing a buy-or-sell decision in July on the club’s current playoff positioning is a missed opportunity.

The Seattle Mariners are not a rebuilding club. They aren’t an aging roster on the downside, either. But they are a team shy of impact offensive talent. If a player fitting that bill is available this summer, where the Mariners are in the Wild Card or division race should not be a factor in whether or not they make real efforts to add such a player.

I’m not referring to two-month solutions, however. Impending free agents should only be of interest to the level the club believes they can do damage in the current season.

I’m talking about multi-year, above-average-to-plus solutions. The Mariners need a few more all-star levels performers to properly compete night-in, night-out.

A question I get a lot, however is ‘why should they make a big trade if they aren’t in a good position for it to count this year?’

Great question, Buford from Skokie, Illinois. The reason is simple: Players of impact aren’t often available. Passing on the chance to get one may mean that player gets traded elsewhere or ends up re-signing with his current club, further thinning the market and making it even tougher to find the necessary players.

There are two transaction cycles in baseball, winter and the trade deadline.

The Mariners’ roster is fine. But it’s also just fine. It needs more. They wanted to do more over the winter. It’s my opinion the free agent market exploded beyond all imagination for most clubs, and clubs, including Seattle, misjudged the trade market and ended up not adding the necessary hitters.

But this summer is different and so are the Mariners:

• The rotation, despite the loss of Robbie Ray until next season at least, is as deep as ever and loaded with arms trending up.

• Jarred Kelenic has turned into a viable major leaguer. To what level remains to be seen, but he certainly belongs, and at times looks like a plus player.

• J.P. Crawford is having a career year.

• The American League is wide open, as is the West

• The club’s farm system, while still future heavy, isn’t much different than it was a year ago when they acquired Luis Castillo. They have the ammo on the farm and in the big leagues, they simply have to be willing to pay the freight.

I don’t know exactly who is available this month, and I don’t know what the trade cost will be. But good, controllable bats are not traded very often at all, and it occurs so rarely during the season. When it does occur, deadline or offseason, it’s expensive. But Jerry Dipoto has often referred to his draft-develop-trade philosophy, and it’s time to pull the trigger.

The club has drafted well. Development has been solid with a recent uptick in progress by several position players, including 2021 first-round pick Harry Ford, 2022 first-round pick Cole Young )19, A+), 2022 second-round pick Tyler Locklear (22. A+), and international signees Jonatan Clase (21, AA), Gabriel Gomzalez (19, A+), and Michael Arroyo (18, A).

Seattle may have to use big-league assets with their farm to acquire more impact and control, but this may very well come down to the club being willing to put together the package it takes, and having the wherewithal to take the risk now rather than hoping the chance presents itself again over the winter with a significantly better trade cost attached.

I have full confidence Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander and staff are ultimately willing to foot the bill. It’s the idea they may get a shot at the same or a similar player in December for a better trade cost I’m mostly concerned about in regards to the club making an impact trade this summer.

Waiting could make sense in a vacuum if this year’s club is deemed unworthy. But considering the lack of viable free agents, and how the trade markets have slowed, pouncing on an opportunity when the weather is hot seems like the best path to moving the roster forward.

For me, I don’t care if the club is 18 games out in the division and 10 out of the final Wild Card spot come the deadline. Seattle has to get better far beyond internal opportunities. Sitting back and waiting for better deals must take a back seat. The Mariners are not one player away. There will be multiple holes to fill after the season on top of the 1-2 everyday problems the lineup has right now.

Pay the freight.

Buckle up, fans.