Colorado Rockies: Why the Seattle Mariners are a trade fit for Trevor Story, Jon Gray, and others

The Seattle Mariners could also use some starting rotation help from the Rockies as well

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The Mariners starting staff is not great, as Justus Sheffield (brother of Rockies reliever, Jordan) has struggled and is on the IL. Fort Collins native, Marco Gonzales (son of Rockies Double-A pitching coach Frank Gonzales), has struggled as well. Rockies starting pitcher Jon Gray would likely become their ace or second starter behind Yusei Kikuchi.

As we mentioned earlier, their starter’s ERA is 22nd so there is great room for improvement.

Our colleagues at SoDo Mojo recently looked at some trade proposals for Jon Gray and there’s at least one of them that we believe would get the job done.

Relievers Daniel Bard and Mychal Givens could also give them a veteran presence in their bullpen, a bullpen that has five pitchers that have three or fewer years of service time.

The Mariners also only have four relievers with an ERA+ of 100 or better than have at least 20 innings pitched. Bard and Givens fall into that category as well.

Considering Dipoto’s relationship with the Rockies (player from 1997-2000, special assistant to Dan O’Dowd 2001-2002, and Rockies Director of Player Personnel 2005), he has first-hand experience with many of the people in the Rockies front office.

Will all five of Story, Cron, Gray, Bard, and Givens be traded to the Mariners? Probably not, but Jerry Dipoto has made crazier trades before. And trading all five could be the best way for the Rockies to get more quality prospects back in return. The Mariners have the prospects to pull it off as Baseball America ranked their system the second-best in baseball prior to the start of 2021.

With the needs that the Mariners have, that prior experience with the Rockies, drive for the Mariners to reach the playoffs in more than 20 years, and replenishment of the Rockies farm system could be enough to get a deal done that will benefit both teams.