Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners.(Photo by Laura Smith, via Flickr)
Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners.
Kyle Seager has taken the backseat for most of his Seattle mariners career. King Felix’s throne had already been established before he arrived. Then, as the sun was rising on young Seager’s career, Robinson Cano rolled in and cast a deep shadow over him.
The perennial MVP candidate had all the attention. By the time Furosemide began to drip down, staining Cano’s accomplisments, Nelson Cruz was in the midst of a late career revival. By then Corey Seager had already showed his World Series ring off at family dinners back in North Carolina.
With Hernandez gone, Seager is the elder statesman of a young team. He is one of only four players in the entire organization who weren’t acquired by current general manager Jerry Dipoto. A 32-year-old man on this team is almost a grandfather. That’s especially true as Seager tries to keep pace with the M’s newest star Kyle Lewis. Nonetheless, Seager has been great in 2020 and it brings up the question of whether the Mariners should trade him.
Taking “should” out of the last sentence, the question of dealing Seager is almost moot. No other team would want him with his age and contract. This article could stop here, but there is more to it than the short answer.
There honestly is a chance that Seager gets traded this year, but it is very complicated, and things must line up perfectly for a deal to happen.
Despite all Seager has done for the Seattle Mariners for the last ten years, he’s at the age when talent starts to dip. Additionally, his guaranteed pay has risen to a point where it’s higher than the combined totals of the rest of the lineup on any given night.
Trading the veteran third baseman would free up money for the next couple years, while allowing the M’s youth movement to continue in full force. Seattle get a prospect with some potential in return.
Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Dinur, via Flickr)
Seager started 2020 hot. When that start is combined that with his strong finish in 2019, it appears that hiss adjustments to beat the shift are working. Seager is hitting as well now as ever has in his career. “Corey’s Brother” again exudes confidence at the plate.
In the field, he and shortstop J.P. Crawford make a formidible the left side. Seager has value both offensively and defensively and that is important because…
In terms of true third basemen in the Mariners farm system, Joe Rizzo is the next in line. He’s at least a year away from the majors and probably two. Even if Rizzo does make it to the show, he doesn’t project to be anything like Seager.
Dylan Moore could fill in, but the hot corner isn’t close to his best position. Highly rated prospect Noelvi Marte is another consideration, if the Seattle Mariners can wait until at least 2023. This lack of depth means Seattle would have to give up solid prospects in a trade or pay good money for a new third baseman. Neither of those options shout rebuild.
So even if DiPoto was anxious to move Seager, the motivation to do so might not be there because the team incurs further costs. At the end of the day, the trade talk is all about money and…
Major League Baseball is loaded with great third basemen. There isn’t as much of a market left as many teams are already set. Finding a trade partner willing pay the $18M owed to Seager in 2021 is going to be a near impossible task.
In order to move him the Mariners would either have to send prospects with him, retain significant portions of the remaining money on his contract, or receive a bloated contract in return.
But Wait, there’s more. Seager has a bizarre clause in his contract. A $15M team option for 2022 changes to a player option if he gets traded. Bet on it, that if a trade did happen, Seager would exercise his option. There is almost no chance any team wants to pay him $15 million in 2022.
So if Seager gets traded he goes from an $18M expense to the Seattle Mariners to a $33M expense to the trading partner. This is the poison pill. If he remains with the Mariners, they pay him a small buyout after 2021 and decline his option for 2022.
Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners.
This is where things have to fall in place perfectly. First. Kyle Seager could agree to amend the “poison pill” in his contract. A decision that would normally get shot down by the MLBPA, so he doesn’t devalue his contract, which the union deems a poor policy. However voiding the clause could increase his earnings by getting him on a potential playoff roster.
This means Seager has to go to a team that is likely to make the postseason. In 2020 the playoffs have a greater financial incentive than other years, due to changes in the Collective bargaining Agreement and early season shutdown. The poison pill basically serves as a no-trade clause which Seager can enact if DiPoto makes a deal with a team the slugger doesn’t want to play for.
Upon finding a quality team to trade with, the new club has to be acceptable for Seager to waive his poison pill. Location will matter as he is a family man. Seager likes to have his kids around the game. He would also want to be closer to his family in the Charlottle, NC area. Washington and Atlanta are the two closest locations to his family home.
Obviously the Seattle Mariners trade partner must have a need at third base. There is a chance a team would get him to DH, but his defensive ability at third makes him more valuable. Both Washington and Atlanta both have young players who are starting to develop at third in Carter Kieboom and Austin Riley respectively. A potental trade partner would also need to see a spot for Seager with their organization in 2021 as well. This further distances Atlanta and Washington.
In any deal the Seattle Mariners will have to retain at least $10M. Assuming the poison pill in 2022 is left as a team option, there is still about $8 million in 2021 that hasn’t been addressed as well as some money in 2020.
Seattle would likely increase the value of any prospect they receive in return, by eating more cash. But the key is getting a player back who can help the team in a year or two.
Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Blake Handley, via Flickr)
To recap, any trade involving Kyle Seager requires the following conditions.
The specific needs of this deal shrinks the market considerably, which will make it difficult for DiPoto to yield a decent return. But there is a perfect location. First the other contenders.
If a trade did occur, Seager waives the poison pill and goes to Atlanta along with Taijuan Walker for a mid-level prospect. Not likely but it could happen.
Another option is Los Angeles. Their third baseman Justin Turner is older than Seager and a free agent at the end of the season. If Los Angeles wants to secure the position a little longer Seager could work for them. Kyle would more than likely waive the contract modification to play with his brother.
Two things hold this deal back. The Dodgers have MLB Pipeline’s number two prospect, Gavin Lux who should be ready for full-time infield duties next season. Additionally, the team just gave Mookie Betts a 12-year, $365M contract extension, which puts them well over the luxury tax threshold.
Through the long and overly complex process of proving Seager has any trade value, it’s still on the M’s to make a deal. Seager has produced at a high level since August of 2019. He is a strong leader on a young team, and has made the necessary adjustments at the plate, to beat the shift. Finally, it will take a solid free agent signing to replace his production for next year, when the Mariners plan on competing.
At the end of the day, there is one team that benefits greatly from having Seager as their third baseman. This team has the cap space to afford his contract, and he is a proven commodity among their fanbase. The perfect destination for Kyle Seager is Seattle.
Do you think Kyle Seager gets traded at the deadline? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.