The Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Twins Also Discussed This Player in Big Trade This Week

A few things here:

1) Kepler likely was available. The Twins have been in a financial predicament because of television money and they said at the outset of the offseason that they were possibly going to run a lower payroll in 2024. They let Sonny Gray go in free agency and now have shed Polanco's remaining money. They probably would have been OK getting Kepler's remaining money off the books as well.

It's probable that the two sides just couldn't agree on appropriate trade compensation.

2) While a Kepler trade would have been nice for Seattle, it's unclear how exactly he would have fit in. The M's have Luke Raley, Julio Rodriguez and Mitch Haniger in the outfield with guys like Dom Canzone, Taylor Trammell and Cade Marlowe in the mix. Was Seattle's interest in Kepler before acquiring Raley or Haniger, or was it current? Would the M's have been willing to move Ty France in order to play Raley at first and Kepler in the OF? 

Either way, the Polanco deal as constructed helps both sides, with the Twins getting an interesting package and the M's getting the second baseman they've lacked.