Connect with us

Seattle, WA

Seattle Mariners Trade Targets: 3 bats from teams on the bubble

Published

on

Seattle Mariners Trade Targets: 3 bats from teams on the bubble


The Seattle Mariners remain in a fight for the American League West and in need of offense with the July 30 MLB trade deadline drawing ever closer.

Mariners Roster Move: First baseman called up, Bliss optioned

The trade market has been slow so far this month, a result of so many teams remaining in the postseason race. Before the deadline hits, however, there are sure to be some teams that will decide to sell.

Who could be available bats from teams on the playoff bubble? ESPN MLB reporter Jesse Rogers identified three players when he joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on a recent show.

Advertisement

Rogers was asked by Michael Bumpus about hitters that could potentially become available that may help the Mariners despite not being the most exciting names, and Rogers pointed to the Washington Nationals’ Lane Thomas, the San Francisco Giants’ Jorge Soler, and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Joc Pederson.

“I think there’s a bunch of teams that have decent hitters that are in the mix, and if they decide to sell, that could be fruitful for the Mariners – especially if they’re willing to take up some salary,” Rogers said. “… The key (is) which teams are going to sort of fall out of it, and at that point the Mariners should want to pounce. But even without that, we know there’s going to be some hitters available, and I think the Mariners should pounce either way.”

Here’s a quick look at each of those three hitters Rogers mentioned, as well as the situations their teams currently sit in.

Potential Seattle Mariners trade targets

Lane Thomas, OF, Washington Nationals

The regular right fielder for the Nats, Thomas probably qualifies as the most interesting of the three players Rogers mentioned. He’s younger than the others, with his 29th birthday coming up next month, and he has a year of club control left. He’s making $5.45 million this year with one more season of arbitration eligibility before he’s set to hit free agency after the 2025 season.

Advertisement

This year, Thomas owns a .246/.315/.396 slash line for a .712 OPS with eight home runs and a career-high 25 stolen bases in 71 games, though he’s also been caught stealing a league-most 10 times. Thomas had a big season in 2023, slashing .268/.315/.468 for a .783 OPS with 28 homers and 20 steals.

Thomas’ Statcast page reveals some strong intangibles, as he’s 95th percentile this year in MLB in arm strength, 93rd percentile in sprint speed, and 92nd percentile in chase percentage (how often a hitter swings at pitches outside of the strike zone).

The Nationals entered Monday with a 47-53 record, which is four games back of the National League’s last wild card. There are a lot of teams between them and the playoffs, however, as three teams are tied for that last wild card, and there are another three before you get to the Nationals, who also happen to be tied in the standings with the Cincinnati Reds. Only two teams remain in the NL after that.

Jorge Soler, DH, San Francisco Giants

Let’s get the hard part out of the way first. The 32-year-old Soler is in the first year of a three-year, $42 million contract, and he’s struggled this year at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, which has a similar offense-suppressing environment to Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.

Advertisement

This season, Soler has a .225/.302/.400 slash line for a .702 OPS with 11 homers, 20 doubles and a triple in 85 games. An All-Star last season with the Miami Marlins, Soler has a history of big moments in the postseason having taken World Series MVP honors with Atlanta in 2021, so that could keep him viable on the trade market.

One thing still stands out on his Statcast page: bat speed, where he ranks in the 94th percentile. That’s also why he hit the longest home run in the big leagues this year on Sunday, a 478-foot blast in Colorado.

The Giants came into the week back three games in the NL race with a 48-52 record.

Joc Pederson, DH, Arizona Diamondbacks

The only lefty hitter on this list, Pederson is another veteran slugger with strong playoff experience under his belt, having won the World Series both with the Dodgers in 2020 and alongside Soler with the Braves the next season.

Advertisement

Pederson is having the best year at the plate of the three players Rogers mentioned, slashing .274/.375/.496 for an .871 OPS with 13 homers and 13 doubles in 81 games.

Contract-wise, the 32-year-old Pederson would potentially be a rental. He’s making $9.5 million this year, and his deal includes a mutual option at $14 million for 2025.

Like Soler, Pederson has not appeared in the field this season, only serving as a DH. He has played first base sparingly in his career in addition to being a natural outfielder, however, so his days in the field may not be completely numbered.

Pederson’s Statcast page is full of red, which is a good thing. He ranks highest in average exit velocity (90th percentile), xwOBA (86th) and batting run value (85th).

Unfortunately, Pederson plays for a team that looks less and less likely to sell by the day. The Diamondbacks have won six of their last eight games, and at 51-39 they’re currently tied for the NL’s third wild card with the New York Mets and San Diego Padres.

Advertisement

Hear the full Bump and Stacy conversation with ESPN MLB reporter Jesse Rogers in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Bump and Stacy from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

Seattle Mariners and the MLB trade deadline

• ESPN’s Passan: One hitter makes most sense for a Mariners trade
• Salk: The bats Mariners could pursue in limited trade market
• ESPN insider’s view on Mariners and Astros’ trade deadline plans
• Mariners’ Jerry Dipoto explains the trouble with this MLB trade deadline
• Alex Rodriguez details the type of hitters Seattle Mariners should target

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Seattle, WA

Manhunt underway for Mason County shooting suspect

Published

on

Manhunt underway for Mason County shooting suspect


The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for a convicted felon wanted in a recent shooting.

Advertisement

The sheriff’s office says Michael Allen Beyer is wanted for first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.

Deputies believe Beyer was involved in a shooting that happened in Belfair on January 6.

Advertisement

Beyer is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him and call 911 immediately.

Anyone with information regarding Beyer’s whereabouts is asked to call Detective Helser at 360-427-9670 x657, or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Advertisement

BEST OF FOX 13 SEATTLE

New 2025 laws that are now in effect in WA

Orca Tahlequah seen pushing second dead calf in WA waters

Advertisement

WA skiers demand action as ‘rampant’ thefts plague Stevens Pass

Here’s when you’ll need REAL ID to go through US airport security

New restaurants coming to Seattle in 2025

Advertisement

To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.

Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.

Advertisement
Crime and Public SafetyMason CountyNewsBelfair



Source link

Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Two more Seattle restaurants close due to minimum wage hike

Published

on

Two more Seattle restaurants close due to minimum wage hike


Two more Seattle restaurants are calling it quits thanks to the untenable minimum wage hike.

At the same time that the Seattle minimum wage rose from $19.97 an hour to $20.76 an hour, the city ended the tip credit of $2.72. Under the previous rules, restaurants were able to pay $17.25 hourly wage if their staff earned at least $2.72 in tips per hour. But as cost of business continues to skyrocket in Seattle, a minimum wage hike without a tip credit is simply untenable for many small businesses.

Jackson’s Catfish Corner in Seattle’s Central District closed its doors in this new year. In an interview with Converge Media, owner Terrell Jackson argued Seattle is too expensive to operate in.

“I know that the minimum wages went up to 20 bucks an hour … I know that’s hard for my business as a small Black business,” Jackson said. “I’m not Amazon or Walgreens or Walmart who can pay their employees that much.”

Advertisement

Jackson isn’t alone in his complaints.

More from Jason Rantz: Panic as Seattle restaurants may not survive massive minimum wage shift

A second West Seattle eatery closes, citing the minimum wage hike

Bel Gatto, a bakery and café, became the second West Seattle eatery to close its doors over the Seattle minimum wage hike. The owner posted a sign to the front door to thank supporters but said she can’t afford to stay open anymore.

“Our revenues, unfortunately, are not able to cover the close to 20% increase in mandated wages, salaries and payroll taxes put into effect by the Seattle City Council effective 1/1/25. This ruling has made the continuation of our bakery operations untenable,” the sign read.

The owner, Peter Levy, explained to the West Seattle Blog that, “we were approaching close to a break even status in the last quarter of 2024, but the requirement to absorb another $4,000 per month in payroll expenses with the new mandate by the city put a break even further from our grasp which is what led to the closure.”

Advertisement

Last week, a video by Corina Luckenbach, owner of Bebop Waffle Shop in West Seattle, went viral as she said the minimum wage hike was forcing her to close after 11 years. She said she didn’t have an extra $32,000 a year to pay her staff what the city mandates.

More from Jason Rantz: Democrats blame Los Angeles fires on climate change to deflect from their own complicity

Will more restaurants close?

Ahead of the minimum wage hike, restauranteurs offered many warnings over what’s to come.

Ethan Stowell operates a number of Seattle’s top restaurants, including How to Cook a Wolf, Staple and Fancy, and Tavolata. He warned this change would be exceptionally costly for businesses in an industry notorious for razor-thin margins. And restaurants can’t merely raise menu prices again.

“I know everybody wants to say, ‘Just raise things (on the menu) a dollar or two,’ and that’s what it’ll be. That’s very simplified math. I wish it was that easy, but it’s not. This is a large increase that’s probably large enough to be equal to or close to what most restaurants in Seattle profit,” Stowell told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.

Advertisement

Portage Bay Cafe co-owner Amy Fair Gunnar noted the minimum wage change will cost her about $45,000 more a month. She said restaurants will have to “seriously change what they’re doing or they’re going to close their doors.”

More from Jason Rantz: Here’s why Seattle residents vow to stop tipping in new year

Ignoring the warnings, mocking the business people

The warnings from restaurant owners were mostly ignored or mocked.

Efforts by the Seattle City Council to address the forthcoming crisis fell apart after activists said they didn’t want restaurants to get an exception. Council president Sara Nelson told “The Jason Rantz Show” they will take up the issue again this year but there’s no specific idea yet to forward for legislation. The Mayor of Seattle, Bruce Harrell, has been almost completely absent from the issue.

Left-wing voices, meanwhile, claim to not care. That if businesses “can’t afford to pay a living wage,” then they shouldn’t be in business.

Advertisement

One reporter with The Stranger mocked one of the closures, quipping on X, “Has anyone ever eaten at bebop waffle lol.” Left-wing Seattleites condemned the business for “creating a right wing media darling to complain about paying people a living wage.”

KING 5 reporter Maddie White helped elevate this talking point by citing the National Low Income Housing Coalition, claiming “the average renter needs to make upwards of $40 an hour to afford rent.” But she’s quoting a stat for two-bedrooms. Minimum wage jobs aren’t meant to cover the cost of a single person renting a two-bedroom home or apartment.

Ironically, as activists dismiss the concerns of small business owners, they fail to acknowledge the inevitable consequence: when those businesses shut down, people lose jobs. A $20.76 hourly minimum wage — even with a $2.72 tip credit — means nothing if you’re unemployed.

Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Seattle, WA

Reports: Seattle Seahawks to interview 2 candidates for OC job

Published

on

Reports: Seattle Seahawks to interview 2 candidates for OC job


A pair of candidates have surfaced in the Seattle Seahawks’ search for a new offensive coordinator.

An NFL insider’s view on Seahawks OC change and what’s next

The Seahawks are scheduled to interview Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown, according to multiple reports. NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero first reported the news Thursday morning.

Seattle will interview Fraley on Friday and Brown on Saturday, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.

Advertisement

The Seahawks moved on from offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb on Monday after an up-and-down season for Seattle’s offense that included one of the worst rushing attacks in the league.

Fraley, 47, has been on Detroit’s coaching staff for the past seven seasons, including the past five as the team’s offensive line coach. Fraley has coached an offensive line that’s paved the way for one of the NFL’s best rushing attacks. The Lions rank third in Pro Football Focus’ run block grading and finished the regular season sixth in both rushing yards per game (146.4) and yards per carry (4.7).

During his time in Detroit, Fraley has helped develop four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow and three-time Pro Bowl right tackle Penei Sewell. As a player, Fraley started 123 games at center and guard over a 10-year NFL career with the Eagles (2001-05), Browns (2006-09) and Rams (2010). According to Breer, Fraley has done groundwork in searching for a pass game coordinator that he would pair with as an OC.

Brown, 38, began the season as Chicago’s passing game coordinator. He then was promoted to offensive coordinator when Shane Waldron, a former Seahawks assistant, was fired as OC on Nov. 12, and then to interim head coach when Matt Eberflus was fired on Nov. 29. Brown went 1-4 as the Bears’ interim head coach.

Brown was the Carolina Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2023. Prior to that, he spent three seasons under head coach Sean McVay in various roles on the Los Angeles Rams’ coaching staff.

Advertisement

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Salk: What will decide if Geno Smith returns with Seahawks in ’25
• Four Seattle Seahawks who took the biggest leap in 2024
• How should Seattle Seahawks approach RBs in 2025?
• With Seattle Seahawks’ 2025 opponents set, here’s what stands out
• Where Seattle Seahawks players, team finished on NFL leaderboards





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending