MLB Insider Discusses Seattle Mariners Plans as Trade Deadline Approaches

The Seattle Mariners knocked down the first domino of trade deadline season after they acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 24.

Since that move, there's been speculation and rumors on what deals the Mariners might make next. There were reports Seattle is still targeting Naylor's former Diamondbacks teammate and former Mariner Eugenio Suarez. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto also said the team would be looking at high-leverage relievers.

There's a lot of different directions Seattle can go, and one MLB insider thinks that the Mariners will walk away with multiple new players before the deadline arrives.

ESPN's Jeff Passan appeared on the Brock & Salk show on Seattle Sports 710 on Tuesday, saying he believes the Mariners will walk away with two additional players at the trade deadline — a reliever and a hitter. Passan said if the team comes away from the deadline with three players, he believes it will be two relievers and a hitter.

As to who those batters and bullpen arms will be? That's still uncertain.

Despite reports that Suarez is one of Seattle's top targets, Passan was skeptical the Mariners would give up the reported package necessary to acquire him or a high-leverage reliever with multiple years of team control. A deal in either situation would likely include a top 100 prospect.

"I also don't think the Mariners are gonna give up one of their top prospects for a rental bat, regardless of how good Eugenio Suarez actually is," Passan said. "So it's gonna be interesting to see, from the Mariners perspective, can they thread that needle with Suarez? Or are they going to devote their attention more to trying to pick up guys around the margins? I don't think that they're going to be the high bidder necessarily on any of the top relief arms with multiple years of control."