Seattle won't be trading Logan Gilbert for Luis Arraez but the Mariners could deal from pitching depth.
How about one-plus year of rightfielder Max Kepler for one year of righthander Chris Flexen?
Compare the stats over the past two seasons for righthanders Jameson Taillon, Taijuan Walker and Flexen:
JT 321.2 IP, 4.08 ERA, 100 ERA+, 4.2 fWAR, 3.5 bWAR
TW 316.2 IP, 3.98 ERA, 99 ERA+, 3.9 fWAR, 3.1 bWAR
CF 317.2 IP, 3.66 ERA, 108 ERA+, 3.7 fWAR, 4.7 bWAR
The Seattle Mariners reportedly are shopping Flexen, who is two years younger than Walker and two-and-a-half years younger than Taillon. Flexen lost some luster in August when Luis Castillo bumped Flexen from the Seattle rotation. Despite the demotion Flexen matched Taillon’s 2022 bWAR of 1.3.
Many will point to Flexen’s drop in fWAR from 3.0 in 2021 to 0.7 in 2022. However, Walker has never posted an fWAR above 2.5 and Taillon has not exceeded 2.3 fWAR since 2018.
The Chicago Cubs signed Taillon to a four-year, $68 million contract and the Philadelphia Phillies signed Walker to a four-year, $72 million contract.
Flexen is guaranteed a 2023 salary of $8 million in what MLB Trade Rumors reports is his final year of team control (despite Flexen currently sitting on two years and 107 days of MLB service).