The Seattle Mariners have been extremely active on the trade market this offseason, but that does not mean they are going to start giving away their top players for pennies on the dollar.
In an appearance on MLB Network Radio Thursday, Mariners assistant general manager Justin Hollander said it is highly unlikely that the team will trade outfielder Mitch Haniger. Hollander stopped short of ruling it out altogether, but he said the Mariners would need “an insane return” to deal Haniger.
#Mariners assistant GM Justin Hollander told us on @MLBNetworkRadio that the team is “really, really unlikely” to trade Mitch Haniger. He said the Mariners would need “an insane return” to move Haniger. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 20, 2018
Haniger had a career year as a full-time starter last year, as he hit .285 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI. It’s probably safe to assume many teams have called Seattle asking about the 27-year-old, but he’s under team control through 2022. If the Mariners think his production in 2018 is a sign of what’s to come, it makes sense to build around him.
The Mariners have already traded Robinson Cano, Jean Segura, Edwin Diaz and Carlos Santana this offseason. GM Jerry Dipoto was taunted by fans a bit after he said the team will probably be quiet going forward, but perhaps the fire sale has come to a close.
