Seattle Mariners Open To Trading Breakout Starter
Per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, in their search for a right-handed hitter, the Mariners are telling teams they are open to moving right-hander Emerson Hancock.
It is a notable development given how well Hancock has pitched.
The 27-year-old owns a 3.16 ERA across 19 starts this season, a solid breakout after entering the year with a 4.52 career ERA and the reputation of a back-end depth arm.
He is walking just 6.3 percent of hitters while striking out 23.4 percent, and his results are broadly supported by the peripherals.
Why Seattle Would Move Him
Hancock was expected to be the sixth starter behind Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller, and he only cracked the rotation after Miller was injured in spring training.
Seattle also has top pitching prospects on the way, giving them depth few organizations can match.
The Mariners are telling teams they are open to moving Emerson Hancock in their search for right-handed hitting, per @WillSammon.
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) July 23, 2026
Hancock has a 3.16 ERA in 105.1 IP and is under team control through 2030. pic.twitter.com/a7E75LlYmp
The complicating factor is Hancock's contract, which makes him one of the most valuable trade chips available.
He is under club control through 2030 and is not even arbitration-eligible until 2028, meaning an acquiring team gets years of cheap production from a pitcher in the middle of a breakout.
Where He Could Land
The Chicago Cubs look like the best fit.
Chicago has already acquired left-hander David Peterson and right-hander Aaron Civale while trying to patch together a rotation devastated by injuries.
The Cubs also have exactly what Seattle is looking for, with right-handed hitters Seiya Suzuki, Matt Shaw, and Kevin Alcantara all names that could appeal to the Mariners.
Seattle's offense has been the one thing holding back a team with elite pitching, and if the Mariners can convert Hancock's newfound value into a legitimate bat, it may be the move that pushes them over the top.
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