Evaluating 3 fringe teams in the Cody Bellinger trade sweepstakes

2. Cody Bellinger packs his bags for Seattle

The Mariners check a ton of boxes for a potential trade partner: Stable of young pitching? Check. Need for power and pure hit tools? Check. Ready to win? Check. Presence of a trade-obsessed GM potentially on the hot seat? Check.

Jerry DiPoto is desperately trying to dethrone the Astros in the AL West. They came close in 2024, but were held back by an abysmal team batting average of .224. It looks like they are primed to get better in 2024 with a full season of Randy Arozerena and Victor Robles, but a Bellinger addition would go a long way toward lengthening their lineup while also eliminating the need to give Mitch Haniger and Mitch Garver at-bats at DH and 1B.

Their rotation has a quartet of young, controllable starters. I assume former first-rounder and established star Logan Gilbert is untouchable. That leaves Bryce Miller, George Kirby and Bryan Woo, plus Emerson Hancock who projects outside their rotation right now. Kirby's velocity would definitely make him an attractive addition to a Cubs rotation that is sorely lacking it, but any of him, Miller or Woo would probably be enough for the Cubs to send Bellinger and some offset dollars alongside him to the Pacific Northwest. The Cubs could also get creative and take on Garver's $12.5 million salary for 2025 as well, which would give them an attractive second catcher option and provide salary relief to the M's, who have All-Star Cal Raleigh locked in behind the dish.

However, DiPoto has come out and said that he has no plans to deal from the rotation that started 161 games between the above quartet and Luis Castillo last year. Seattle's lineup had a lot fewer holes in it in the last couple months of the year than in the first half of 2024. Luke Raley could go into the spring as their full-time first base option and it's probably that the Mariners would prefer cheaper options that wouldn't require subtraction from their big league roster.

Chance of a Mariners trade: 25%

Bellinger would be huge for the Mariners lineup, but even a trade maniac like DiPoto would be hesitant to deal proven young arms. The Cubs could eat some salary to make it more enticing, but it's still unlikely to get the job done for a stud like Miller or Kirby.