Mariners, Cubs Linked In Potential Trade For Two-time Gold Glover

The Seattle Mariners rumor mill went quiet for a fewer weeks starting astir nan holidays, but things are erstwhile again picking up.

There's only a period near successful this offseason, and Seattle has 1 evident request left: a reliable infield bat. Most likely, that summation would travel via trade, though a deal to bring back 3rd baseman Eugenio Suárez remains successful play arsenic well.

All winter, nan Mariners were linked arsenic beardown suitors for St. Louis Cardinals 2nd baseman Brendan Donovan, who could still very good beryllium traded. However, based connected really nan free-agent marketplace has moved successful nan past week, different National League Central prima mightiness beryllium connected nan array now arsenic well.

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Cubs' Nico Hoerner could beryllium successful play for Mariners now

With nan Chicago Cubs having signed 3rd baseman Alex Bregman and creating an infield surplus, Adam Jude of nan Seattle Times reported Wednesday that nan Mariners had an liking successful Chicago 2nd baseman Nico Hoerner for nan second-straight offseason.

"Hoerner is entering nan last twelvemonth of his contract, scheduled to gain $12 cardinal this season, immoderate person speculated nan Cubs mightiness beryllium consenting to waste and acquisition him now (and move Shaw to 2nd base) earlier he reaches free agency adjacent winter," wrote Jude.

"A twelvemonth ago, nan Mariners and Cubs had exploratory talks astir Hoerner. It’s unclear really acold those discussions progressed, but manufacture sources opportunity nan Mariners stay willing successful Hoerner."

Both teams should person hesitations here. Hoerner was a six-WAR subordinate past year, and nan Cubs giving him up to prevention $12 cardinal would destruct a batch of nan goodwill they built up by acquiring Bregman, moreover if it was to reside different request by acquiring a pitcher pinch much squad control.

On nan flip side, nan Mariners would beryllium bringing successful a rental, which would adhd to nan unit to triumph this season, while perchance moving players from nan very apical of their workplace system.

The rumors will alert for astatine slightest a small while, but arsenic things stand, we can't telephone a Hoerner-to-Seattle waste and acquisition peculiarly likely.

More MLB: Mariners Lowered Eugenio Suárez Reunion Odds With $6.5M Signing: Insider