Respected ESPN Insider Thinks Seattle Mariners Will Look to Improve Pitching at Deadline

Despite earlier reports from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Seattle Mariners could still target pitching help at the looming trade deadline.

That comes from ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney, who made the comments on the Refuse to Lose podcast:

Offensively, ​I ​do ​think ​that ​that ​probably ​is ​going ​to ​be ​a ​priority, ​and ​it ​wouldn't ​surprise ​me, as ​we ​get ​close ​to ​the ​deadline, ​all ​contenders ​will ​be ​looking ​to ​add ​extra ​depth ​of ​their ​pitching. ​And, ​I ​think ​that ​will ​include ​the ​Mariners ​in ​the ​end. ​But ​right ​now, ​it ​doesn't ​feel ​like ​it's ​the ​priority ​for ​what ​the ​Mariners ​are ​doing.

So, there's a big distinction between not looking for pitching at all, and just not prioritizing it right now. It seems fair to expect the M's to try to make an addition in the bullpen, as they desperately need another mid-to-high leverage arm.

Andres Munoz, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier have been excellent this season, and Carlos Vargas has had great moments also, but beyond that, there are questions about how reliable Trent Thornton, Casey Legumina, and Eduard Bazardo are in big moments. The M's do have Jackson Kowar and Troy Taylor at Triple-A Tacoma, but they present questions as well.

The Mariners enter play on Saturday at 42-39 through the first 81 games of the season. With half the season to play, they are 6.5 games back in the American League West race, but they are in possession of the third and final wild card spot.

They will play the Texas Rangers on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. PT.

You can listen to the full talk with Buster Olney in the player below: