MLB Insider Opines on the M's Plans at the Trade Deadline with Regards to Pete Alonso
Even despite winning 9-0 on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Angels, the Seattle Mariners need offensive help.
In first place in the American League West at 33-27, the M's are only +3 for the season in terms of run differential and they rank near the bottom of several offensive metrics.
On Sunday morning, Bob Nightengale of USA Today speculated that the M's could be looking to acquire New York Mets' first baseman Pete Alonso at the trade deadline this summer, but he also said the M's could go with an internal improvement.
Per Nightengale:
The Mariners, who could be one of the teams pursuing first baseman Pete Alonso at the trade deadline, may decide to simply stay internal and promote 23-year-old first baseman Tyler Locklear, who put on a show at Class AA Arkansas before being promoted to Triple-A Tacoma this past week.
So, there's a lot to this:
1) What about Ty France? If the M's are bringing in first base improvements, what do they do with France? Hitting .256 this season, France is coming off a solid month of May. He's got seven homers and just hit the game-winning shot on Friday night against the Angels. Would the Mariners simply bench France? Would they trade him in a package for Alonso? Would they move him to designated hitter? And what happens to Mitch Garver and Mitch Haniger in that case?
France is under contract through 2025.
2) How much would Alonso cost? A free agent at the end of the year, it may not cost as much as you think, but Alonso is still a multi-time All-Star with four seasons of 37+ homers under his belt. He's hitting .239 this season with 13 homers and will still cost a solid prospect package.
3) Would the M's really jettison France is favor of the prospect Locklear? Would they use Locklear at third base potentially in certain lineups? The 23-year-old is the No. 8 prospect in the organization, per MLB.com. Here's a portion of his prospect profile:
The right-handed hitter’s carrying tool is still his tremendous raw power, though he’s not a one-trick pony. He can hit the ball out to all fields and does a nice job of managing the strike zone, limiting strikeouts and drawing walks, giving him a chance to be a solid overall hitter. He can struggle with breaking and offspeed stuff and can chase too much at times.
The Mariners are 33-27 and play the Angels on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. PT.
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