ESPN MLB Insider Expects Seattle Mariners to Be Aggressive at Deadline; Names Perfect Acquisitions
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Speaking on Seattle Sports 710 on Wednesday, ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan said that he expects the Seattle Mariners to be aggressive at the trade deadline, and he says that they should be.
Passan said that the Mariners should not waste the historic season from catcher Cal Raleigh, and he thinks the Mariners understand that they can't afford to do that. He also named Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor of the Arizona Diamondbacks as the perfect acquisitions for the M's, and he thinks acquiring even one of them could give them World Series aspirations in the American League.
“I think the #Mariners are going to be aggressive,” ESPN's Jeff Passan said to @BrockHuard & @TheMikeSalk regarding trades.
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) July 17, 2025
There are two reasons for that, one involving Cal Raleigh.
"You don’t take years like this from superstars and waste them."https://t.co/wThTMkSZYU
The M's have been linked to the duo for weeks, as Seattle seeks to upgrade its offense for the stretch run. Both players make a lot of sense, as Suarez would provide a credible power threat in the middle of the order beyond Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozarena. He's got 31 home runs and 78 RBIs this season, while also hitting .250. Furthermore, he knows the clubhouse and T-Mobile Park, having played for the Mariners in 2022 and 2023.
As for Naylor, he would also provide an offensive upgrade at first base, where the M's have used a platoon of Donovan Solano and Luke Raley. He's hitting .294 this season with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs. He's hitting .248 against lefties, solidifying that he could be an every day option at the position.
The Mariners enter the second half at 51-45 overall and in second place in the American League West. They'll take on the Houston Astros on Friday night in the first game out of the break. Seattle is five games back of the 'Stros.
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NEW PODCAST IS HERE: Brady is back on Tuesday, talking about Cal Raleigh's win in the Home Run Derby and what it means for fans, new and old. Then, he talks about the M's three-game winning streak heading into the break, Julio Rodriguez's resurgence and much more, including what the M's draft may signal about their trade deadline plans. Then, we're joined by Mariners bullpen catcher Justin Novak, who tells us his crazy story, and we talk with our own Teren Kowatsch, who covered the M's draft extensively. CLICK HERE:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The Mariners selected Kade Anderson of LSU at No. 3 overall in the MLB Draft, so what does it mean for the rotation moving forward? CLICK HERE:
CAL REWRITES HISTORY: Cal Raleigh won the Home Run Derby on Monday night, and with that, he re-wrote the history books. CLICK HERE:
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