Thanks to a recent sweep of the Cleveland Guardians, the Seattle Mariners have managed to keep their playoff hopes alive. It’s still far from a sure thing, but if the team is able to stay relevant over the next month and a half, the trade deadline could prove to be quite an interesting time for Seattle fans.

Recent trades may have kicked off the hot stove a little earlier than expected. So if they do want to be contenders for some of the most lucrative trade pieces on this year’s market, the Mariners can’t afford to wait.

The Angels have two hitters who could be trade targets for the Mariners

When it comes to identifying which organizations might contain the talent this team needs the most, it usually makes sense to look outside of the division. After all, doing business with your closest rivals could end up biting you in the back down the line.

However, some experts believe another team in the AL West could have just the right pieces. In a recent conversation with Wyman and Bob of Seattle Sports, MLB Network insider Jon Morosi proposed the Los Angeles Angels as a potential partner to get a deal done. Taylor Ward was mentioned as the main option, but Morosi mentioned that Yoán Moncada wasn’t out of the question either.

Ward has been a trade candidate since this past offseason and is set to hit free agency in 2027. He has been a capable part of the Angels outfield for years, but hasn’t put up dazzling numbers since 2022. He has been struggling to get on base this year but with 13 doubles and 18 homers, he could bring some much-needed power to the corner outfield. Dominic Canzone has been decent since getting called up but with the recent news about the timeline for Victor Robles, the Mariners may need a more viable long-term option.

Moncada, on the other hand, has been having an impressive bounce back season. He has a 134 OPS+ over 113 plate appearances and is the definition of a short-term rental. He’d almost surely be an offensive upgrade over Ben Williamson whose own OPS+ has been far from league-average since he was called up.

Unfortunately, Moncada’s perennial problems with injuries have also returned this year, causing him to miss time with a sprained thumb and knee inflammation. He also carries an immensely friendly $5 million salary, which likely means that the Mariners will have to beat out quite a few other teams to win his services from the Angels.

It has been made clear that as is, Seattle’s roster likely isn’t enough to get the job done. Even with Logan Gilbert back and Luke Raley on the way, the Mariners will need to be proactive in getting help if they want a chance at returning the postseason and making a run.

Trading top prospects to a team they’ll face 14 times a season might be risky. But with the Mariners’ wealth of young talent and need to regain relevance following their storybook 2022 run, it may be a risk that’s worth taking.

It has been made clear that as is, Seattle’s roster likely isn’t enough to get the job done. Even with Logan Gilbert back and Luke Raley on the way, the Mariners will need to be proactive in getting help if they want a chance at returning the postseason and making a run.

Trading top prospects to a team they’ll face 14 times a season might be risky. But with the Mariners’ wealth of young talent and need to regain relevance following their storybook 2022 run, it may be a risk that’s worth taking.