Less than a year after making their first playoff appearance in over two decades, the Seattle Mariners may be throwing it into reverse.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported Monday that the Mariners have informed teams that two top hitters, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and first baseman Ty France, are available for trade. Seattle is also making closer Paul Sewald available, Nightengale adds.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network notes that the Mariners’ willingness to trade Hernandez and France is a “significant development” (but that Seattle would need young bats in return).
Hernandez, 30, and France, 29, are both recent MLB All-Stars (the former in 2021 and the latter in 2022). Hernandez, a .238 hitter this year but one with major power, will be a free agent after the season. France, a versatile batter and dandy defender at first, has two more years of club control left.
The Mariners still have hope in the AL Wild Card race at 54-51 (4.5 games out of the third spot). But they have not looked quite right all season (with things going wrong all over the place). Now Seattle could be hitting the reset button in the hopes of getting younger.
