2025-26 Offseason Thread

[wazzu31]

I say pass.



This one comes from Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, who was open with framing his collection of trade pitches as "ridiculous." His notion was to be big and bold, no matter how unlikely his proposals are to happen in real life. Which brings us to this one involving the Mariners, the Cardinals and the New York Mets:

• Mariners get: INF/OF Brendan Donovan
• Mets get: 3B Nolan Arenado, RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje
• Cardinals get: RF Lazaro Montes, RHP Camden Lohman

This is definitely big. And definitely bold. And if the question is whether all three parties would get what they want, the answer is yes. We're big fans of Donovan's around these parts, and the Mets do need a third baseman and the Cardinals do need prospects.

Hard pass, like pitch forks pass. Donovan isn’t worth a top 100 prospect. He is a more versatile but less good Adam Frazier when the M’s traded for him.

 

[NWinAZ]

Hard pass, like pitch forks pass. Donovan isn’t worth a top 100 prospect. He is a more versatile but less good Adam Frazier when the M’s traded for him.

Ya I would hang up before they finish the name Laza...clink

 

[wazzu31]

Ya I would hang up before they finish the name Laza...clink

If it’s Young straight up, I’d listen cause you’d still have Arroyo but right now Laz in any package IMO is worth more than just someone like Donovan.

Donovan is a solid MLB player against RHP but there is some weird campaign/push where people are talking about him like he is Ketel Marte. The way I put it is the Mariners shouldn’t be trading top prospects for a guy you have to pinch hit for in the playoffs.

 

[NWinAZ]

If it’s Young straight up, I’d listen cause you’d still have Arroyo but right now Laz in any package IMO is worth more than just someone like Donovan.

Donovan is a solid MLB player against RHP but there is some weird campaign/push where people are talking about him like he is Ketel Marte. The way I put it is the Mariners shouldn’t be trading top prospects for a guy you have to pinch hit for in the playoffs.

Totally Agree.

2023-2025

 

[NWinAZ]

Totally Agree.

2023-2025

View attachment 414381

All 2B 2023-2025

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[wazzu31]

All 2B 2023-2025

View attachment 414382

Exactly, which one of those guys he is comparable with are you parting with Laz, Sloan and Anderson with? Young yes, I could also be talked into just Arroyo or heck maybe even just Celesten.

It sucks but all the people hyping up Donovan has made me not want him at all. I just can’t see anyway than he is worth the same caliber of prospects as Skubal and Marte

 

[NWinAZ]

Exactly, which one of those guys he is comparable with are you parting with Laz, Sloan and Anderson with? Young yes, I could also be talked into just Arroyo or heck maybe even just Celesten.

It sucks but all the people hyping up Donovan has made me not want him at all. I just can’t see anyway than he is worth the same caliber of prospects as Skubal and Marte

100% with ya. I remember a year or two back they were talking about 2 or 3 guys from Cards in a deal like this. Now it is just Donovan. Easy pass for me unless you are talking Canzone /Williamson deal for him.

 

[NWinAZ]

 

[NWinAZ]

Another mock trade:

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.

 

[wazzu31]

Another mock trade:

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.

1000% would take that. Though I think Arizona hangs up instantly. For Marte, IMO, it’s going to cost Sloan/Anderson, Laz/Farmelo, plus someone like McGraw or Little. The M’s could center a package around Miller and Laz/Farmelo but IMO how much better are the Mariners cause they won’t have any money to fill Miller’s spot in the rotation.

I don’t think the Mariners match up at all with the DBacks. They need starting pitching and CF. They have their entire IF set in stone already.

 

[NWinAZ]

1000% would take that. Though I think Arizona hangs up instantly. For Marte, IMO, it’s going to cost Sloan/Anderson, Laz/Farmelo, plus someone like McGraw or Little. The M’s could center a package around Miller and Laz/Farmelo but IMO how much better are the Mariners cause they won’t have any money to fill Miller’s spot in the rotation.

I don’t think the Mariners match up at all with the DBacks. They need starting pitching and CF. They have their entire IF set in stone already.

Marte's issues with teammates might drive the price down along with salary. I agree they would/should ask for Montes or Farmelo, but for M's they need to say no to either. For me only Ford, Young, Williamson, McGraw, Celesten, Cijntje and Peete (off the top of my head) should be available in any deal. I wouldn't trade any other top 15.

 

[wazzu31]

Marte's issues with teammates might drive the price down along with salary. I agree they would/should ask for Montes or Farmelo, but for M's they need to say no to either. For me only Ford, Young, Williamson, McGraw, Celesten, Cijntje and Peete (off the top of my head) should be available in any deal. I wouldn't trade any other top 15.

But issue is Cinjte is really is the only one they’d be interested in of that crop and I don’t think a deal with him as the headliner could get it done. They already have their Young, Ford and Williamson. IMO if the M’s are going to get Marte there needs to be a third team involved. A team that either has a starter or pitching prospects they’ll give up for the Mariners prospects.

Fair point with his salary and clubhouse issues but I’m not sure how much it will drive down his price cause once Bichette is off the board teams will pivot to him IMO.

But who knows cause Jerry has made several trades with the DBacks where IMO all of them have been massively lopsided so maybe they’ll take another one and Jerry owes him next time

 

[NWinAZ]

But who knows cause Jerry has made several trades with the DBacks where IMO all of them have been massively lopsided so maybe they’ll take another one and Jerry owes him next time

Ya Naylor and Geno came way cheaper than anyone thought so there is hope.

 

[PolarVortex]

Interesting how we were all so high on Cole Young this time last year and now have seemingly soured on him. I don't think it is fair to judge him on his MLB body of work thus far. I believe the potential is still there for him to have a solid MLB career.

The Ms are going to have to save money in at least two positions in 2026. Right field is one and it seems already set with cheap labor in Canzone and Robles. But the other is going to have to be third base or second base. My guess it will be second base since we have a gut of talented prospects that can play second. I don't know what that means for Jorge Polanco's potential future with the team, but again, my guess is that he is gone and we will watch Young, Bliss, Arroyo, and Farmelo battle for second base in spring training.

As for third base, I don't have much of an idea here. But, IMO, it won't be Geno nor Bregman, and after those two, there isn't much available in free agency, so we could be looking at a trade. I guess it could be Alec Bohm. Bohm would have to be considered a rental as he is a FA at the end of next season. So, you wouldn't want to give up too much for him. Phillies would probably want Ford as they have no starting catcher now with Realmuto currently an FA. But giving up Ford for one year of Bohm would be a travesty. Phillies would need to sweeten the pot.

The Mets have two MLB-seasoned third basemen in Mark Vientos and Brett Baty. We could get one of them without surrendering too much. But if the Mets wanted Castillo, that could be a sweet salary dump even if the talent swap favored the Mets.

Three players we have been linked to that I would rather not see here: McNeil, Suarez, McMahon.

 

[wazzu31]

Ya Naylor and Geno came way cheaper than anyone thought so there is hope.

Yeah but Sewald to them was lopsided as was the other Geno deal. Just to me it’s weird cause the 4 recent deals one team by far won it so who knows maybe Marte will be a lot cheaper than I think I just don’t want to lose Sloan or Anderson. Realistically Sloan and Farmelo/Laz plus another pitcher is fair but I don’t like it for the long term.

And while I do get argument is they need to worry about 2026 but my argument back is ok fine then Colt Emerson should be on the table to be dealt.

 

[NWinAZ]

Yeah but Sewald to them was lopsided as was the other Geno deal

Geno deal was for payroll relief. It wasn't because one team fleeced the other. It was sad, but it served a purpose for the cheap ass M's.

Sewald was fair in my opinion. We just struck out on the guys we got from them. We got 2 Top 30 prospects from them and another starter. I think that was normal for a guy like Sewald. The timing sucked since we were playing for playoffs.

 

[NWinAZ]

And while I do get argument is they need to worry about 2026 but my argument back is ok fine then Colt Emerson should be on the table to be dealt.

Never. Never give away the future for 1 year of possible success. Not for a team like M's who don't spend to replace top prospects traded. That is a Yankee/Dodgers move.

 

[wazzu31]

Geno deal was for payroll relief. It wasn't because one team fleeced the other. It was sad, but it served a purpose for the cheap ass M's.

Sewald was fair in my opinion. We just struck out on the guys we got from them. We got 2 Top 30 prospects from them and another starter. I think that was normal for a guy like Sewald. The timing sucked since we were playing for playoffs.

Sure it was an offload but it is still a fleecing. And disagree. Top 30 for them maybe but Bliss was nothing special nor was Canzone. I think Jerry saw Haniger in Canzone and pulled the trigger. IMO it was a dumb trade. I guess we can agree to disagree on this one I just personally think the Mariners got fleeced on the two previous and the M’s fleeced the DBacks on the Geno and Naylor trade.

It seems the DBacks are just trying to collect and much pitching as possible and hoping one hits. Which Garcia may, it’s still odd that they switched him from a starter to the bullpen after he dominated in AA.

 

[PolarVortex]

Marte will make $91 guaranteed over the next five years as a 33-37 year old. That number could increase to $5.5 million in each season that he reaches a specified number of plate appearances, increase the total value to $188.5 million. That's just a hair less than $24 million per year. Mariners will not take on a contract that high for a player that old, especially a player who has a questionable reputation in the clubhouse. And I see no reason why the DBacks would feel they need to eat much of that contract. The Dodgers, Mets, Giants, and Phillies could all use him and they would all take on his full contract.