What are we going to do with the Seattle Mariners this year? The team has been very aggressive at the trade deadline in recent years, so I would not be surprised to see them heavily involved in trades this year.They definitely need a bat for the club.
They are only hitting .232, but who are they going to replace in their lineup? The team has solid players at each position, and no one aside from Cal Raleigh, who has been injured, is having a truly terrible year.I like pretending to be a GM, but this is not a team for which I can see an obvious solution.Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby heads to the dugout after being hit in the face by a ball during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles in Seattle on June 3, 2025.
(Jason Redmond/AP)Their pitching staff remains a strength, and maybe it is just a matter of everyone getting healthy or playing up to potential.One guy who could improve is today's starter, George Kirby.
Kirby has a lot of talent, but he is just 5-7 for the season with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.He has been more reliable on the road than at home, allowing just two homers as opposed to seven at home.
He does have three fewer road starts, though.He has posted back-to-back quality starts, but he has consistently given up three or more runs in his past six outings.
Pirates hitters are batting just .234 against him.The Pittsburgh Pirates are about where I expected them to be this season.They are exactly .500 at the moment and just aren't consistently reliable in any specific area.
They are another team that will probably get on the phones for the trade deadline.They could likely use another bat (although every team probably feels that way).
However, they probably could benefit from some reliable starting pitching.Honestly, if they can get another strong pitcher, that means they have Paul Skenes and one other great arm to lead them in a playoff series.Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller throws to the plate during the fir...