Blockbuster Mock Trade Sends Superstar Infielder To Mariners For Haul

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The Seattle Mariners need to do everything in their power to re-sign or replace Jorge Polanco this offseason.
Polanco is a free agent and he's projected to sign a solid contract. The Mariners should be able to afford a new deal with the breakout star, but there's a chance Seattle wants to improve at second base this winter.
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Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently put together a blockbuster trade idea that would send Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte to the Mariners in exchange for pitcher Logan Evans, infielder Michael Arroyo, and shortstop Felnin Celesten.
Mariners could make a run at infielder Ketel Marte

"Why is Ketel Marte a popular name on the trade market this offseason? The 32-year-old is set to gain 10-5 rights shortly after the 2026 season begins, which comes when a player has 10 years of service time and has spent at least five seasons with his current team, allowing him to veto any trade," Reuter wrote. "He was signed to a six-year, $105 million extension at the start of the 2025 campaign, but it's a back-loaded deal that will pay him $64 million over the final three years in 2028, 2029 and 2030 when he will be 36 years old.
"The idea of being locked into that financial commitment when he is potentially declining could be reason enough to flip him now and focus on the future. Adding his impact bat at second base would give the Mariners an upgrade over Jorge Polanco, who had a strong 2025 season in his own right, and Seattle has more prospect talent to offer up on the trade market than any team in baseball."
This is the exact caliber of trade the Mariners need to make to get to the World Series next season.
The Mariners swung a few trades with the Diamondbacks last season, so the two sides are quite familiar with each other. This winter, they could find a deal for Marte.
The Mariners might need to give up another prospect or two for this trade to go through, but the groundwork makes a lot of sense. The Diamondbacks would be bringing in a few young players with potential to make a big impact on the big-league club in the near future. The Mariners would get the superstar infielder they need on the roster to replace Polanco.
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Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “OnSI” network among others.