2025 Mariners Trade Deadline Outlook

As the calendar turns to July many MLB teams face the race against time that is the MLB trade deadline, which is rapidly approaching on July 31st. Since MLB expanded its postseason in 2022 the trade deadline has become even more complicated with even less teams by this point in the season finding themselves assuredly in the buy or sell categories. Many more teams find themselves in the in-between, where the decision to go one way or the other is not just one that decides a season, but a team’s potential future and in some cases that General Manager’s job. The Seattle Mariners find themselves on the upper end of this conglomerate, but nonetheless in it. 

I, instead of playing armchair General Manager through July as Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander make their own moves, will get ahead of it and lay out three moves I believe the team should make before the trade deadline. 

Trade #1: Eugenio Suarez for Tai Peete and Emerson Hancock

Eugenio Suarez is a must have for the Mariners. Ben Williamson simply is not a quality everyday major leaguer at this point. While Williamson is a low K% player, he simply doesn’t provide any damage at the plate. The defense has shown flashes, but it isn’t nearly good enough to not warrant an upgrade at this position. 

Mariners fans are obviously very familiar with all there is to love about Eugenio Suarez. The same leadership and good vibes that Geno brought with him in 2022 and 2023 seems like something the 2025 Mariners could definitely use in their clubhouse. But it’s not just the good vibes the Mariners should be desperately wanting. Suarez is crushing the baseball in 2025, hitting 11 Home Runs in the month of June and 26 Home Runs on the season. Suarez will be an All-Star this year and one of the biggest potential bats on the market. He is by far the most realistic answer to the Mariners problems as they currently stand. 

On the Mariners side, Tai Peete is an incredible athlete but is still trying to find his role to show off his athleticism. Peete initially was slated as a SS but has seen a lot of time in CF in 2025 where he continues to show flashes. Peete is a prospect I like and admittedly hate to give up, but Peete is the exact type of lottery ticket prospect that you have to cash in at times to help your MLB club now rather than continue to hold onto that ticket. 

Then there is Emerson Hancock who has served as a steady 5th starter for a Mariners team that very much needed it this season. But the former first round pick in the 2020 MLB draft has not shown anything to expect that he is more than a stopgap fifth starter. Logan Evans has shown the ability to fill the rotational depth that Emerson Hancock has filled this season so I don’t believe I would miss Hancock all that much. Arizona though might view Hancock as a cheap temporary stopgap to supplement a rotation that is going to be missing ace pitcher Corbin Burnes for what likely could be all of the 2026 season. 

Suarez provides the offensive ceiling and clubhouse jolt that this team frankly needs. It’s a must make move even if the price is higher than what’s comfortable.

Trade #2: Edward Cabrera for Ben Williamson, Michael Morales and Jared Sundstrom 

The Mariners, after trading away a former top prospect starting pitcher in Emerson Hancock, make a move to add on a different former top prospect starting pitcher in Edward Cabrera. 

Cabrera in my view has a much higher ceiling than Hancock. Cabrera has no shortage of stuff on the mound but hasn’t harnessed it yet. I would love to see what the Mariners pitching lab could potentially get out of Edward Cabrera. He probably would be rotational depth, but the possibility of what the Mariners development staff could have in store for him has me more than intrigued. 

The Mariners would in return give the Marlins Ben Williamson who, as I said, shows flashes of being an everyday Third Baseman, but it requires some more patience. The Marlins in this deal would also get the opportunity to develop Mariners prospects Michael Morales and Jared Sundstrom. 

Trade #3: Jojo Romero for Tyler Locklear

The Mariners need trusted bullpen depth and JoJo Romero provides just that. Romero isn’t the type of bullpen arm to blow away hitters and be the 8th or 9th inning guy. But he gets groundballs and limits damage which is the type of consistency the fringes of the Mariners bullpen could really use. Romero also is under club control for another year, so this is a move that would also help the Mariners for 2026.

Locklear I see as a replacement level first baseman with some potential to be pretty good if the power finally translates to the big leagues. But I find Locklear’s swing to be long and frankly too disjointed for me to trust.  

The Cardinals though could see Locklear as an MLB ready prospect that could provide production for them at 1B/DH very soon. This is something a Cardinals team that refuses to go through a long rebuilding process would probably love to have. 

Overall, I don’t expect the Mariners to go too far into the deep end this deadline. I don’t expect them to trade for Alex Bregman or someone of that pedigree. But I do expect the Mariners to make vital moves like shoring up the bullpen and providing upgrades at Third Base and First Base. Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander executing these moves is what will hopefully make the difference in this Mariners team having a playoff run this year, rather than another year with crushed dreams of seeing the Mariners make noise in the playoffs.