Seattle Mariners trade rumors have the team chatting with the San Francisco Giants about acquiring starting pitchers. This would be a big deal for the Mariners, as the team could use some help in the starting rotation in order to make a push for one of the American League Wild Card spots. The Mariners have also reportedly approached the San Diego Padres about a deal.
When the Seattle Mariners swept the Chicago White Sox over the weekend, it gave the team a lot of momentum moving forward. It may have also convinced Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto that the team is just a piece or two away from being a true contender for the playoffs.
That might be why he picked up the phone to negotiate with the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres this week. Could the Mariners also contact the Baltimore Orioles about some bullpen help?
What would the Mariners want from the Giants?
There are two starting pitchers that the Mariners could be interested in from the Giants. No, it doesn’t include Madison Bumgarner, who could certainly be a difference-maker for any team down the stretch. The two available starting pitchers would be Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija. They have each had struggles during the 2017 MLB season, but could provide a lot of innings of work down the stretch for a new team.
In 19 starts for the San Francisco Giants this season, Jeff Samardzija is 4-11 with a 4.86 ERA and 1.169 WHIP.
He also has 135 strikeouts to his credit. Johnny Cueto is 6-7 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.401 WHIP. Those aren’t his typical numbers, but it shows that he has had some troubles on the mound this season. The struggles of both pitchers might just make them less expensive on the open market.
How much would it cost for Mariners to get Cueto and/or Samardzija?
Jeff Samardzija has three years left on his contract with a salary of $19.8 million for each season. Johnny Cueto is under contract through the 2022 MLB season, with a salary of roughly $21.8 million due for each of those years. This underscores that both veteran pitchers would be expensive monetarily, not even taking into account what players the Mariners might have to deal.
One of the pieces that the Mariners could offer for a starting pitcher is outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who has been making a name for himself in the minor league system. O’Neill has struggled a bit this season, hitting .243 with 17 home runs and 51 RBIs. The power is certainly there, though, so it could be something that another team focuses on. He wouldn’t be alone in any deal anyway. Since the San Francisco Giants are looking to build for the future and the Seattle Mariners rumors indicate the team wants starting pitching immediately, forecasting a deal between the two franchises wouldn’t be a stretch.
