Rumor: Seattle Mariners Targeting These Two All-Star Infielders

 

The Seattle Mariners, one month ago, were on target to be big sellers at the trade deadline, with names like Mitch Haniger, Kyle Seager, Marco Gonzalez and Kendall Graveman looking like goners from the Pacific Northwest. But things can change in a hurry. 

The Mariners are 14-6 since July 1st, and are now just one game back of the Oakland A's for the second Wild Card spot. And not only have the M's become buyers, but they're shopping in the designer brand aisle. 

The #Mariners are one potential suitor for Trea Turner. They have high-end prospects to interest the #Nats and are looking at infielders controllable beyond this season (e.g., Whit Merrifield). The Mariners have been happy with J.P. Crawford, and Turner can move around diamond.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 27, 2021

Seattle is looking at two All-Star infielders, Trea Turner of the Washington Nationals, and the Kansas City Royals' Whit Merrifield.  

Turner is one of the elite hitters in all of baseball. He's a real threat for a 30-40 season (HR-SB), and he's sitting on a .320 average with an .887 OPS. Merrifield is another league-leading type of hitter and base-runner, though he's having a bit of an off-year by his standards. He's batting .272 but with a career .292 average.

The Mariners own one of the top farm systems in baseball, so they do have the prospect capital to spend, and the price for either player would be sky-high. Turner has one more year of control, Merrifield two more. 

If the Mariners are able to pull one of these stunning moves off, the Wild Card race will certainly take on a whole new feel, and put added pressure on the A's to make a big splash before Friday's deadline. 

Photo Credit:  Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports