Seattle Mariners Reportedly Talked to Chicago Cubs About Interesting Trade Target
According to MLB Insider Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Seattle Mariners had at least some level of interest in Chicago Cubs utility player Christopher Morel before they dealt him to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.
Per Morosi:
Heard the Mariners talked with the Cubs about Christopher Morel before he was dealt to Tampa Bay.
That suggests Seattle remains in the market for a corner infielder ahead of Tuesday's deadline.
Heard the Mariners talked with the Cubs about Christopher Morel before he was dealt to Tampa Bay.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 29, 2024
That suggests Seattle remains in the market for a corner infielder ahead of Tuesday's deadline.@MLBNetwork
OK, let's break this down bit-by-bit.
1) Morel was traded alongside two prospects for All-Star Isaac Paredes. This would lead you to believe that the price for Morel as a stand-alone piece likely wasn't that high, so the interest would make sense. Though Morel is hitting just .199, he possesses great power and could have platooned with Josh Rojas at third base. This is something the Mariners tried to earlier this year with Luis Urias, but he was sent to Triple-A, forcing Rojas to play more than expected.
2) Morosi mentions that the interest in Morel shows that Seattle has interest in corner infielders, which is consistent with what Jerry Dipoto had said on Sunday. However, the team has options. If they were to acquire a second baseman, they could also move Jorge Polanco to third base if necessary.
3) This shows the M's are still working the phones, which is good to see. While acquiring Randy Arozarena and Yimi Garcia are good starts to the deadline, the M's and their tepid offense still need help. It's good to hear that Seattle appears to be understanding of that.
The Mariners enter play on Monday at 56-51 and in a virtual tie for first place in the American League West.
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