Mariners September Roster Expansion Predictions
Rosters expand on September 1, but the Mariners and all 29 other MLB teams will only be able to add two players each to their respective rosters. That makes for a fairly difficult decision for president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and company in the coming days.
There are plenty of options Seattle could reasonably choose from, including left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd. Taylor Williams could be another possibility.
Yes, the same Taylor Williams who was traded for Matt Brash. He has re-joined the organization and has found plenty of success in Triple-A Tacoma, spinning a 1.26 ERA in 13 appearances for the Rainiers. In all likelihood, Williams is a better option for injury insurance down the stretch and will not be added to the roster on Thursday; Boyd, meanwhile, is rumored to join the big-league club shortly.
This leaves the second roster spot for a position player and Seattle isn't short on quality options with big-league experience. Jarred Kelenic, Luis Torrens, Kyle Lewis, Evan White and Taylor Trammell are all down in Triple-A.
Kelenic and White need more time to work through things and will likely need to spend time in Tacoma next season before they are ready to truly contribute. Torrens is a third catcher that would not add much to the current roster, especially with the trade addition to Curt Casali.
Kyle Lewis is still unable to play much at all, and even though the bat is heating up he likely still doesn't fit. This leaves Trammell and veteran infielder Jonathan Villar for the final roster spot.
Trammell comes with the ability to play center field and a plus outfield overall, all while slashing .333/.407/.569 with the Rainiers. Villar, meanwhile, may only factor into the equation if J.P. Crawford and/or Sam Haggerty's respective injuries continue to linger, especially with Dylan Moore recently landing on the injured list.
Trammell is ultimately the answer here. His ability to play a true center field may win him this roster spot alone because he would be the only other player who can play there besides Julio Rodríguez. He can also provide thump and on-base skills against right handed pitching and, with Haggerty being banged up, the opportunities might be increasing. He also could spend time serving as a defensive replacement in left field for Jesse Winker.
Taylor Trammell can really provide Seattle some interesting depth down the stretch. Him and Matt Boyd combined could be very impactful in adding depth for the Mariners as they chase a playoff spot.
