ESPN MLB Insider Says Seattle Mariners Could Have Acquired Rafael Devers If They Wanted

Initially, I wasn't that bothered that the Seattle Mariners didn't seem to get involved in the trade talks for Rafael Devers. I wrote on Monday that the Mariners and Boston Red Sox didn't really line up in trade talks, considering the Red Sox were targeting pitching, and the Mariners don't really have much of it. So, I didn't have the same outrage that some M's fans about trying to acquire the slugger, who ultimately went to the San Francisco Giants for four players.

However, I was wrong, apparently. According to ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney, the Mariners could have gotten involved in the trade conversations for the three-time All-Star, and it wasn't so much about the return for Boston as it was the financial flexibility.

Here's what Olney had to say on the latest Refuse to Lose podcast:

So ​the ​deal ​that ​they ​made ​with ​the ​Giants, ​it ​wasn't ​like ​they ​took ​the ​Giants ​number ​one, ​number ​two, ​and ​number ​three ​pitchers ​who ​were ​available. So, ​the ​perception, ​I ​think, ​of ​folks ​with ​other ​teams ​is ​that ​the ​Red ​Sox ​did ​okay ​with ​what ​they ​got ​in ​return ​from ​the ​Giants, ​but ​it ​wasn't ​like ​they ​got ​a ​bunch ​of ​perfect ​players. ​So, ​if ​the ​Mariners ​had ​wanted ​to ​be ​involved, ​they ​could ​have ​been ​involved. ​If the ​Cubs ​wanted ​to ​have ​been ​involved, ​they ​certainly ​had ​the ​opportunity ​to ​do ​that. ​Other ​teams ​had ​the ​opportunity ​to ​do ​that. ​But ​I ​just ​think ​that ​the ​Giants ​were ​just ​so ​aggressive ​in ​being ​willing ​to ​take ​on ​the ​money. ​They ​separated ​themselves ​early.

You can hear the full conversation with Olney in the player below:

So, that certainly changes my perception of the whole thing. The M's had an impact bat just waiting to be plucked from an American League rival, and they evidently didn't even try.

The Mariners (37-36) will take on the Chicago Cubs on Friday at 11:20 a.m. PT.