The Orioles have opened the door, and that should get the Mariners moving.
Baltimore’s sudden willingness to listen on just about everybody but Pete Alonso creates a clear opportunity for Seattle, a club that still needs more offense and has room to patch a few holes on the infield. The last time these teams hooked up at the trade deadline, things went sideways in a hurry, but that doesn’t mean the Orioles don’t have another bat worth chasing.
Jordan Westburg stands out as the kind of target Seattle should be circling.
Westburg was once one of the names that made Baltimore’s future look so bright. In 2023, he ranked as the organization’s No. 5 prospect and the No. 74 prospect overall. He was productive across three seasons, then got derailed by Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2026.
In 1,027 major league plate appearances, Westburg has posted a 116 OPS+, which is solid enough to matter. The issue has been the glove.
He has split time between second and third base, and his Defensive Runs Saved numbers were a little below league average at both spots. Even so, his work at third has drawn better marks from Outs Above Average and Fielding Run Value, thanks to his range.
Jordan Westburg makes a sensational play! pic.twitter.com/VLl9f76jZ7
- MLB (@MLB) September 27, 2025
That profile lines up with what Seattle needs. Brendan Donovan is currently the Mariners’ option at third, but that may not be the answer long term.
The left side of the infield is still unsettled, and there’s also the possibility that shortstop remains a question if Colt Emerson isn’t ready by 2027. A J.P.
Crawford reunion isn’t impossible, but the Mariners would be wise to add some depth there now. Westburg hasn’t logged much big-league time at short, yet he played more shortstop in college and in the minors than anywhere else, so the transition wouldn’t be foreign to him.
The bat is part of the appeal too. Westburg has been an above-average hitter from the right side, which matters for a Seattle lineup that could use that kind of balance.
His 2024 numbers in expected stats and quality of contact sat in the top quartile of qualified hitters. In 2025, the production dipped, but he was also dealing with a hamstring strain and an ankle sprain that sent him to the injured list.
That injury history could scare some teams off. For the Mariners, it might actually help.
Seattle has its own wave of infield talent coming through the system, so it doesn’t need to spend heavily just to plug a short-term hole. It needs someone who can stabilize the spot while players like Felnin Celesten and Ace Reese keep developing.
And because the front office has been cautious with prospect capital, a player like Westburg - coming off a one-year layoff and carrying some injury risk - could give Seattle leverage to keep the return package manageable.
He’s not the kind of trade target who screams superstar. Westburg looks more like a high-floor add than a ceiling-raiser, someone who probably won’t turn into an MVP candidate or take over the league.
But he could be good enough to help push the Mariners back toward contention without forcing them to empty the cupboard. For a team likely to build its next step through a series of smaller moves, that kind of fit makes a lot of sense.
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