Seattle or Bust wrote: ↑Mon Jul 01, 2024 6:55 pm
Mariners trade 1B Tyler Locklear, OF Jonatan Clase to the Jays for 1B Vlad Jr.
Why it works for the M's: I was short on Vlad but he's quietly turning in a season that is EXACTLY what the Mariners need. His .297 BA and .379 OBP clears any Mariner by a good 50+ points in either direction. He's quietly turned on the slug of late with a .554 slugging % over his last 30 games. He's now a perfect fit. He and Julio also appear to be very close, so that's a bonus.
Why it works for the Jays: The Jays are quietly going nowhere with an aging roster. They would get a direct replacement for Vlad Jr. in Locklear with 6 years of control. Their outfield is an absolute mess. Clase would start day one. The Jays also are not in a rebuild mode given contracts paid out and veterans on the roster. They could use MLB-ready players for 2025.
Mariners trade SS/2B Cole Young, OF Jonny Farmelo, SP Logan Evans, OF Mitch Haniger to the White Sox for OF Luis Robert and RHP Michael Kopech
Why it works for the M's: Getting rid of Haniger's contract in one of these trades would be ideal. The White Sox are not money averse and can afford to take money dumps to sweeten prospect return. Just like Julio, Robert has no protection in the White Sox lineup. Putting Julio, Vlad, and Robert together would certainly offer protection to all of them. The reason why I bring this up is that Robert has struggled to create his usual contact numbers and the K rate has gone up. The prospect of having all 3 of these guys in their prime and getting them for relatively cheap has to be enticing. When he's right, Robert is a superstar. Kopech is only under control through 2025, throws 101... perhaps the M's can put him in the workshop and help him reach his potential.
Why it works for the White Sox: The White Sox current middle infield is made of Paul DeJong and Nicky Lopez who will both likely not be on the team next year. Their top prospect is a SS that is MLB-ready, so adding Young would give them a SS/2B tandem that will be together for 7 seasons. Farmelo gives them a young OF prospect with a lot of upside. Logan Evans fills a need for a farm that doesn't have much in the way of top-end pitching prospects. Including Haniger is a salary dump they can take on to sweeten the prospect return. Just like the M's did in 2019 when they traded for Encarnacion and Bruce, the Sox can do the same while they don't figure on contending.
Lineup:
1. JP Crawford SS
2. Julio Rodriguez CF
3. Vlad Jr. 1B
4. Luis Robert Jr. RF
5. Luke Raley LF
6. Jorge Polanco 2B
7. Cal Raleigh C
8. Ty France DH
9. Josh Rojas 3B
Backup C: Mitch Garver, Util: Dylan Moore
Bullpen:
High Leverage: Andres Munoz, Gregory Santos
Mid Leverage: Ryne Stanek, Michael Kopech, Austin Voth, Trent Thorton, Gabe Spierer
Low Leverage: Tayler Saucedo, Mike Baumman