Mariners Rumors: Don’t Expect Andrew McCutchen to Come to Seattle
By Paul Taylor
The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly set to trade Andrew McCutchen, but it seems unlikely the Seattle Mariners will be in position to make a move.
Recently, we learned that the Seattle Mariners inquired about Andrew McCutchen during the early stages of the offseason. However, as reported by MLB Network‘s Jon Morosi, those talks did not come to anything.
Part of the reason for this, was possibly linked to the Pittsburgh Pirates’ reluctance to part company with the 2013 NL MVP. Interestingly though, as per Fanrag Sports‘ John Perrotto, there is a growing sentiment within the organisation that it is now a matter of when, not if, they will trade him.
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As such, where does this leave the Mariners? According to Perrotto at least, he does not list them as one of the three teams theoretically best matched with the Pirates as potential trade partners.
This sentiment is seconded by MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince, who names five other teams as being better-placed to provide the necessary pieces to trade for McCutchen. Of course, this is all speculation, and does not put the Mariners out of the running.
Additionally, in respect of having the collateral for any potential trade, this may not be as big of an issue as you might think. Perrotto writes that at least one NL executive believes the Pirates won’t be able to get a super-star package for a player fresh off the worst season of his career.
In that respect, the Mainers would need to decide if the 2016 campaign was an aberration, or the start of a decline for the five-time All-Star. Given that they have already asked about him, we can assume the organization believes it is the former.
One final factor to consider, is that general manager Jerry Dipoto effectively stated last weekend, that he is done with making moves to improve the offense. Overall, while you can never say never in this industry, the likelihood is that McCutchen will not end up in Seattle.
Next: Mariners look to the past to solidify rotation
What’s your take on McCutchen? What would it take to secure a trade with the Pirates? Would you even want the Mariners to make a move for the centerfielder? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.