SEATTLE — While the focus for Mariners fans centers on Cal Raleigh’s historic home run chase (and rightfully so) as the Mariners play well enough to control a wild card playoff spot, let’s not forget something crucial.

The trade deadline is July 31.

And, for what it’s worth, the Mariners not only appear to be in the buying position where help at a corner infield spot could make a major difference. They have the history to back it up.

So we’re taking a look at the recent trade deadline history, how and what the Mariners could do, along with other factors to consider.

The Mariners have been highly active at recent trade deadlines

Look no further than the man pictured above.

It was a key deadline addition in 2022 that brought Luis Castillo to the M’s, and he’s been a mainstay in the rotation ever since. In a lot of ways, he stabilized the 2022 rotation and propelled the Mariners to end the playoff drought.

One way or another, in each of the last four years, the Mariners have made a significant trade deadline move:

2021: Mariners trade relievers Kendall Graveman, JT Chargois, and Rafael Montero and bring in reliever Diego Castillo along with Tyler Anderson and Abraham Toro.

2022: Mariners acquire Luis Castillo.

2023: Mariners trade Paul Sewald and acquire Josh Rojas, Dominic Canzone, and Ryan Bliss.

2024: Mariners acquire Randy Arozarena.

So, whether it was a full-on buy in 2022 and 2024 or something less than that, the Mariners do always appear active. 2023 may have appeared like less than a bye, but parting ways with a highly effective Sewald was eased by the rise of Andres Munoz.

The point here is this: there are a lot of names out there, some of which we’ll talk about below. But regardless of the magnitude, the Mariners always tend to do something significant at the deadline. Being in a playoff spot in July only further advances the theory that they’ll make some sort of notable move for a fifth straight trade deadline season.

Okay, so who are the potential trade targets?

This is the tricky part, of course.

Because it’s easy to look at teams with a player who has an expiring contract or a team that is out of contention and would love to feast on the Mariners’ robust farm system.

But baseball is never quite that simple.

On the surface, an Eugenio Suarez reunion sounds perfect, right? After all, the Mariners could use his offense and certainly haven’t been the same at third base since trading him away.

But Geno breaking out like he has in 2025 means there are plenty of suitors on an Arizona team that may or may not be selling by the end of the month.

So the “potential targets” are just that. Names that would appear from the outside to make sense for both sides from a standpoint where the Mariners have the prospects and talent to at least be in the ballgame.

Ryan O’Hearn from Baltimore makes a lot of sense for an Orioles team that was expected to contend, but instead is more than seven games out of the wild card race as of this writing. O’Hearn is a free agent next year, and if Baltimore can turn him for talent now rather than lose him potentially for nothing is something they need to consider.

O’Hearn is batting .287 at this writing, which would instantly land him at the top of the Mariners lineup for everyday players (J.P. Crawford is close, and Dom Canzone hasn’t had enough plate appearances just yet).

In short, O’Hearn helps solve the Mariners’ first base issue by allowing Luke Raley to play more games in the outfield and just adding another reliable bat to an offense that needs all it can get.

Suarez makes sense because of the third base issue. While Ben Williamson has a bright future, Geno would certainly bring pop to the lineup and a veteran presence to the clubhouse.

Another Arizona target that makes sense is Josh Naylor; he has similar numbers to O’Hearn but adds a little more power. Again, Arizona’s status is sort of in flux, but the Mariners and Diamondbacks often find themselves trade partners, and the Mariners remain flush with prospects that would be intriguing to Arizona.

It’s worth watching those three players, especially, because of mutual needs and the Mariners owning the necessary players to acquire them.

There are reports about Ronald Acuña, but that would be a long shot at best. Yes, the Braves have wildly underperformed in 2025, but would they really give up on a generational talent even if the Mariners were willing to send a haul of prospects to Atlanta?

Alex Bregman is probably more likely than Acuña, but still at much longer odds than Naylor, O’Hearn, and Suarez. Boston, however, desperately needs arms, and that’s an area where the Mariners could more than cover the price tag for a coveted third baseman they need.

Plus, Seattle fans certainly haven’t forgotten Bregman’s role in the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal. It’s worth watching.

Things to consider

There are so many things to look at in addition to fit and standings. The layers of a baseball trade can often be so dramatic that a deal takes months (other times, it can be as quick as a phone call).

And it can be as simple as this.

The Mariners have to win now. Three years of playoff misses after ending the drought and squandering a prolific window would be devastating.

The best way to ensure that is to acquire help now, even if it is at the expense of promising prospects.

Take, for example, the intriguing case of Harry Ford.

Ford is crushing it in Tacoma right now with the Rainiers. In reality, he should be in the majors right now.

But, he’s a catcher, where the Mariners currently employ the MLB leader in home runs for this season and potentially in American League history for this season.

And it’s not just Cal Raleigh’s bat that’s valuable; it’s his calling of the game that earns rave reviews.

Now, Ford is versatile. He could DH or play an outfield spot, albeit with work to be done on his fielding.

However, Ford could also be moved and bring a ton of value in return. It’s a high-risk sort of thing with a potentially high reward.

What if you send Ford and a couple of solid arms to Boston for Bregman? Incredibly hypothetical, but when you think about it in those terms, you start to understand what we mean by “things to consider.” Plus, Bregman could opt out at the end of this season, so would that risk bring down the price?

So, even if the Mariners are getting increased production from Canzona, Arozarena, and Donovan Solano as of late, more bats are probably still something the team could use to push them over the top.

If based on nothing but history alone, it promises to be an equally intriguing and exciting trade deadline ahead.

Then you start to look at the available players and what it might take to get them?

Indeed, any move to help this team get back in the postseason in 2025 will be a major one that could resonate much like the Castillo and Arozarena trades.

Whatever the Mariners do, it certainly sends a message.

A message that winning now is everything, or if this club is still asking for and practicing patience with a fanbase whose patience is wearing thin.