Seattle Mariners need to deal for the ACE-ing on their cake
Chris Phillips
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Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Dinur via Flickr)
The Seattle Mariners have lacked an ace in their rotation since Felix Hernandez was in his prime. GM Jerry Dipoto must get creative to find one.
“Aces! Get your aces here! Hey you, GM, step right and get your ace before they’re all gone!” If only getting a Major League ace was that easy. The Seattle Mariners have been longing for an ace of their pitching staff for the past four years.
Pitching aces don’t grow on trees either. Getting a bonafide dominant starting pitcher isn’t an easy thing to come by. They don’t typically hit the free agent market and are typically expensive to acquire via trade. Every now and then, two teams get together to make a trade that involves a highly touted starting pitcher, who goes on to become an ace.
Think Gerrit Cole to the Astros or Tyler Glasnow to the Rays. Both left Pittsburgh as talented pitchers who weren’t “panning out” and then became dominant front line starters for their new organizations.
The 2021 Seattle Mariners have a few big needs on their roster that need to be filled. A dominating, top of the rotation starter is at the top of the list. Sure, the M’s farm system is loaded with prospects, but not all prospects make it. Plus, having too much talent is never a bad thing. Just look at the reigning champion Dodgers.
So, how does the Emerald City’s beloved baseball team solve this issue? Let me lay out a different kind of plan for you. It will take some creative thinking, but that’s what Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto is all about.