Jerry Dipoto has never been shy about pushing his chips in at the deadline, and the Mariners may need that same edge again if they’re going to salvage their 2026 season.
Seattle entered the year as the favorite in the AL West, but the results haven’t matched the expectation. That puts even more weight on Dipoto, who has already built a reputation for deadline deals that reshape the roster. Dominic Canzone, Randy Arozarena, and Luis Castillo all arrived through moves made heading into August, and the front office may be staring at another pivotal stretch.
One path starts with moving on from Castillo. The right-hander has been part of trade chatter all season, and the case against keeping him has only grown stronger.
He’s posted a 5.06 ERA and 4.59 FIP over 99.2 innings, and this is shaping up to be the first year in his career that he finishes below replacement level by rWAR, sitting at -0.7. Seattle also has an elite left-handed pitching prospect waiting in the minors, which makes the pressure to create a spot for Kade Anderson even more obvious.
The front office is reportedly willing to absorb some of Castillo’s money if that helps move him. A deal would still leave the Mariners with a six-man rotation, though, so another starter would likely need to go as well.
That brings Emerson Hancock into the picture. Unlike Castillo, Hancock is in the middle of the best season of his career.
After several years of uneven production, he’s sitting on a 3.16 ERA and 3.73 FIP, and Seattle has acknowledged it could move him at the deadline. The logic is simple: if Castillo is about clearing space, Hancock is about balancing the roster.
The Mariners’ pitching has been strong, but the offense has lagged behind, and even the return of Rob Refsnyder only adds a right-handed bat with a 37 OPS+ to a lineup that needs far more help. Hancock’s club control makes him appealing to other teams, and a trade that brings back a hitter such as Taylor Ward or Lane Thomas would fit Seattle’s needs.
The boldest swing of all would be going after Mason Miller. Even with a bullpen ERA of 3.52, good for fifth in MLB, the Mariners appear interested in making their relief group even nastier.
Miller has been one of the game’s best closers since arriving in San Diego, and he would come with a steep price. Still, the appeal is obvious if Seattle can’t count on internal improvement or land enough offense from outside the organization.
The bullpen already has plenty of useful arms, but with Cooper Criswell and Matt Brash absent, there’s room for another elite weapon. Miller is under team control through 2030, which only drives up the cost, but Seattle has the prospect depth to at least make the conversation real.
The risk is obvious with any reliever, but the Mariners have already shown they’re willing to explore the possibility.
In Other News...
Jerry Dipoto Just Reached A Mariners Deadline Reckoning
The Mariners have spent much of the summer trying to keep pace in a division that has tightened around them, but a rough stretch has changed the feel of the season in Seattle. After losing six of their last nine, they have slipped from first to third in the AL West, and Fangraphs has their playoff odds below 50 percent. That kind of slide naturally puts the front office under the microscope, especially with the trade deadline closing in and the fan base wondering how aggressively the club can still act.
Jerry Dipoto is now in the familiar position of having to balance urgency with patience, all while the market narrows and the questions around Dan Wilson and the roster grow louder. ESPNs Buster Olney suggested Dipoto is not facing the kind of heat some executives are carrying into deadline week, a reminder that last years postseason run still buys some credibility. Even so, the Mariners are running out of room to let the standings answer for them, and the next move may say a lot about how this front office sees the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Crawford Decision That Could Shift Deadline Plans
JP Crawfords absence is creating a real ripple for the Mariners at a time when every roster call seems to carry extra weight. He will not be in the lineup against the Dodgers, and Seattle has not yet made a roster move, but the club is weighing whether an injured list stint makes sense as it sorts through the shortstop situation. In the meantime, Colt Emmerson is set to handle the position, giving the Mariners at least a temporary answer while they decide how cautious to be.
The larger issue is what this means beyond one game. Seattle has to balance the immediate need to cover shortstop with the possibility that any longer-term move around Crawford could affect the rest of its planning, especially with the deadline picture always looming in the background. For now, the Mariners are left with a familiar kind of uncertainty: enough information to know the path is changing, but not yet enough to know how far it will go. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A George Kirby Deadline Dilemma Fans Will Hate
The Mariners are staring at a familiar deadline problem, only this one comes with an especially uncomfortable name attached. Seattle wants help, and it makes sense why: the roster could use a right-handed bat and another reliever, and the front office has at least kicked around the idea of using George Kirby as the kind of chip that could open bigger doors.
What makes the discussion so tricky is the standard Kirby would have to clear. This is not the sort of arm you move for a modest upgrade, and any serious deal would need to bring back a true difference-maker rather than just patching one hole. That is what makes the deadline conversation so tense for the Mariners, because the possibilities are tantalizing enough to imagine, but the price of getting there is the kind of decision that can reshape a season. [Read more 🡒]