Mariners called ‘favorite’ to land All Star before MLB trade deadline

The Seattle Mariners have been reported to really want bullpen help, and that seems to be true.

But with the MLB trade deadline looming, the Mariners may still be in the market for a big bat, too.

ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Wednesday morning: "The Mariners are going to do something for their bullpen -- plus, some rival execs still view them as the favorite to land Eugenio Suarez."

Being the favorite to land Suarez is huge news.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' All-Star third baseman is considered the top bat available to be had before the deadline.

Suarez has hit 36 home runs this season, and he has more than 300 in his career. He's a legitimate middle-of-the-order slugger.

He also plays a position of need for Seattle. Ben Williamson has been solid as a rookie, playing good defense and making contact at the bottom of the lineup. But Suarez is a different level, someone who can elevate the whole Mariners order.

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Suarez has also played in Seattle before. He was with the Mariners in 2022 and 2023 before Seattle traded him to Arizona in November of 2023.

A cool video before the All-Star Game showed Mariners superstar catcher Cal Raleigh and Suarez sharing a nice embrace. 

The Mariners are well-equipped to pull off a deal like this. They have more top-100 prospects than any other team in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.

It's just a matter, in the last 40 hours or so before the deadline, of figuring out what the Diamondbacks want and deciding if Suarez is worth that. In a year when the postseason race and even World Series contention feels wide open, it might be the time for Seattle to make a bold move like this one.

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