New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman wasn't lying when he said he was open to anything this offseason. Rumors indicate the Seattle Mariners inquired about one of New York's All-Star outfielders to perhaps set the foundation for trade talks.
That outfielder is Brett Gardner, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
The Mariners are apparently in the market for a center fielder as new general manager Jerry Dipoto looks to improve the roster after an underachieving 2015 season. Seattle was arguably one of the most disappointing teams in the MLB as they finished 76-86 just one season after missing the playoffs by one game.
Seattle traded Austin Jackson in August and Franklin Gutierrez is a free agent so there's a need in center field right now. The Mariners recently executed a six-player deal with the Tampa Bay Rays that netted them outfield prospect Boog Powell, but the 22-year-old isn't expected to be ready in the beginning of 2016.
Their potential interest in Gardner makes sense because he can play multiple outfield positions and provide athleticism to a club lacking such a characteristic. When Dipoto took over he said he wants to improve the team's defense with more athletic players.
"No trade discussions were characterized as far along or specifically targeted to just one team," Sherman wrote. "Nevertheless, Gardner has long been a player whom new Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto has liked going back to his time as an executive with the Diamondbacks and Angels."
Although the trade talks are described as preliminary, there could be a match between these two clubs. The Yankees are looking for cost-controlled starting pitching and the Mariners have what they need.
"The Yankees are particularly looking for high-end starting pitching that they control for seven years because all of their current starters, except Luis Severino and Adam Warren, can be free agents after either the 2016 or 2017 campaign. The Mariners essentially will not talk about Taijuan Walker. But The Post has learned they would discuss 27-year-old lefty James Paxton, whose delivery has reminded folks of Andy Pettitte. Paxton was among the pitchers the Yankees were looking at more intensely late in the season and now in the Arizona Fall League under the belief they could become available in the offseason."
Gardner, 32, is owed $39.5 million over the next three seasons. Paxton, 27, doesn't become eligible for arbitration until next year and doesn't become a free agent until after the 2019 season. However, Gardner is an established MLB player while Paxton has made only 30 career starts in three seasons.
It's unknown what New York's plan is, but they could certainly afford to move Gardner and replace him with one of the plentiful outfielders on the free agent market. As for the Mariners, they have good starting pitching depth especially after acquiring Nathan Karns in that six-player deal with the Rays. Additionally, two of their top four prospects (according to Baseball America) are pitchers.
Stay tuned for updates on these trade talks between the Yankees and Mariners because the two seem to be a match.
