The Seattle Mariners have long been looking for a corner outfielder especially after Melky Cabrera signed with the Chicago White Sox. The team has a few trade targets on their radar and could fill the void soon.
Padres' outfielder Seth Smith is the subject of many trade talks because of the logjam in San Diego's outfield. He's perhaps the most valuable asset the team has in the outfield beyond Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Justin Upton and he should be the first outfielder traded by the Padres. According to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, the Mariners have already made offers to San Diego for the veteran.
Smith, among the other surplus of Padres' outfielders, is perhaps the only one worthy to be a starter based on his offensive production. In 2014 he slashed .266/.367/.440/.807 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs in 136 games. He would be a formidable complimentary bat in a Seattle lineup that consists of Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Nelson Cruz, Austin Jackson and others. Seattle had the second best ERA in the league last season and missed the playoffs by one game, so a little more run production can put them over the edge.
Divish also notes Rays' second baseman Ben Zobrist could be an option. Tampa Bay picked up his $7.5 million option for 2015 even though owner Stuart Sternberg said he wanted to reduce payroll. Perhaps the team picked up his option because they knew he'd be a hot commodity on the trade market due to his defensive flexibility - he can play second base, shortstop and all the outfield positions. This would give the Mariners a multitude of options on a game-to-game basis.
Zobrist is the longest tenured Ray, having played for the team since 2006, and will be turning 34 next season. He slashed .272/.354/.395 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs in 2014. However, he might be more costly and competitive to trade for than Smith, who will be turning 33 next season and is owed $12.75 million over the next two years with a team option for 2017.
"Smith is still a player the Mariners are considering. There have been offers made to San Diego," writes Divish. "The Padres, who have been beyond active, are still trying to figure out their next move after a flurry of activity ... Much like the Mariners, the [Rays] have trouble developing hitters. Evan Longoria seems to be their main exception. So that may influence their asking price for Zobrist. If he's made available, the Mariners will have competition to acquire him if they choose to join that fray. Zobrist's value and versatility make him attractive for several teams in baseball."
The Mariners have plenty of time to obtain an outfielder of their choosing.
