Potential Seattle Mariners Trade Target Made Available by Cincinnati Reds
The Seattle Mariners are still looking to address the holes in their infield as 2025 grows closer and closer.
Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto has laid out the team's needs in the offseason: a first baseman to pair with Luke Raley, a starting second baseman and a starting third baseman.
There's been reports that Seattle could look in-house to address second or third. But that still leaves at least two spots in the infield to sort out before Opening Day arrives on March 27, 2025.
And there might be another option for the Mariners to pursue if other avenues fall through.
Per a report from Jack Azoulay-Haron via MLB Nerds, the Cincinnati Reds are open to trading outfielder/first baseman Spencer Steer.
In addition to Díaz, Cincinnati Reds Infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer has been made available for trade, with several teams reaching out with interest, including at least one AL East team and one NL West team, sources tell @MLBNerds. Steer, 27, is coming off a 1.3 fWAR season.
— Jack Azoulay-Haron (@AzoulayHaron) December 19, 2024
Steer has played the corner outfield spots and every infield position during his three-year stint in the major leagues. He's played 1,085 innings at left field and 1,067 innings at first base. He's a right-handed batter and could platoon with Raley at first and provide some depth during games where Raley moves to the outfield.
Steer's offensive production dipped in 2024. He went from a .271 average with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2023 to a .225 average with 20 home runs and 92 RBIs in 2024. He did improve on the base paths and stole 25 bags in 2024 compared to 15 in 2023.
Spencer Steer has a home run in three straight games. pic.twitter.com/hqXKaZOGvJ
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 6, 2024
Steer is cheap and under team control for the next several years. He's not up for his first year of arbitration until 2026 and is set to earn $800,000 in pre-arbitration, according to Spotrac.
There was no indication based on the report about what the Reds would want in return for the former Oregon Duck. But there's been little progression between Seattle and potential trade partners like the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.
The Reds could end up providing the answer for at least one of the Mariners' needs.
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