The Mariners didn’t land a headline-grabbing bat at the deadline, but they did make a couple of moves aimed at tightening up the roster for the stretch run. Seattle brought in right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez from the Chicago White Sox in the deal that sent starter Luis Castillo to the South Side, then added outfielder Taylor Ward from the Baltimore Orioles for the lineup.
Those were the moves that got done. The ones that didn’t happen are starting to come into focus too.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Seattle also poked around on Angels shortstop Zach Neto. Rosenthal reported that the Mariners, “knowing they can play Colt Emerson at third if J.P. Crawford departs as a free agent, were one of the teams to show interest in Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, according to people briefed on their conversations,”
Neto has never made an All-Star team, but he’s putting together another productive season at the plate. He needs six more stolen bases to reach his third straight 20-20 season, and he has topped 5.0 bWAR in each of the last two years.
The talks never really got off the ground. “The teams never exchanged names. The Mariners never even got a price,” Rosenthal added, noting that Seattle and Los Angeles didn’t move far along in discussions.
“Neto remained with the Angels, just as fellow shortstops CJ Abrams remained with the Washington Nationals and Otto Lopez with the Miami Marlins.”
For now, Neto stays put in Anaheim, and the Angels continue on a path that will keep them out of the postseason for a 12th straight year. The Mariners, meanwhile, may circle back on him once the offseason arrives.
In Other News...
Logan OHoppe Just Touched A Nerve Angels Fans Know Too Well
Logan OHoppes exit from the Angels came as part of a deal that sent him and Chase Silseth to the Texas Rangers, and it added another layer to a franchise that has spent years trying to steady itself behind the plate. New executive John Mozeliak moved quickly to reshape the catching picture, but the move also reopened old questions about how the Angels have handled player development and why so many young backstops seem to leave with unfinished business.
OHoppe did not hide his frustration with the instability around him in Anaheim, saying the constant turnover affected his growth. For Angels fans, it is the sort of familiar pain point that lands hard because it sounds less like one players complaint and more like a diagnosis of the organization itself, even as the club tries to move forward with a new plan at catcher. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Outfield Depth Suddenly Faces A Cade Marlowe Decision
Cade Marlowe has put himself in position to create a real roster question for the Angels outfield mix. The former Mariners outfielder has played well in the minors this season, and his major league background gives him a different kind of appeal than a typical depth add, especially for a club that is always weighing how much upside it can stash outside the 40-man roster.
The next step comes Monday, when Marlowe is expected to use the upward mobility language in his minor league deal. From there, the Angels may have a decision forced on them if another club wants him on its 40-man roster, leaving Los Angeles to either make room or risk losing him altogether. For a team trying to sort through outfield depth, it is the kind of small-calendar detail that can matter more than it looks. [Read more 🡒]
Angels Rebuild Suddenly Feels Bigger Than Kurt Suzukis Lineup Decisions
Kurt Suzukis lineup and bullpen choices have become part of the larger conversation around the Angels rebuild, especially as the front office continues reshaping the roster with recent trades and a strong 2026 draft class looming as part of the bigger picture. The manager has leaned toward veterans in key spots even when the matchups are not ideal, and his handling of late-game pitching has only added to the sense that every decision is being watched through more than one lens.
What makes the discussion linger is how much of it sits at the intersection of the dugout and the front office. The Angels are still trying to balance the present with a rebuild that is clearly underway, and the question around Suzuki is not just whether he likes a certain look in the lineup. It is whether those choices are purely his own, or whether the organization is nudging things in a direction that serves a larger plan still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]