What happened: Seattle Mariners are exploring the trade market ahead of the August 3 deadline, targeting a right-handed bat and bullpen depth. The M's have struggled against left-handed pitching, with Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Victor Robles all dealing with reduced effectiveness, while Rob Refsnyder and Leo Rivas have struggled to provide a stabilizing platoon bat. Injuries to relievers Matt Brash and Cooper Criswell have split the bullpen between a top tier of Andres Munoz, Eduard Bazardo and Gabe Speier and a thinner group featuring Nick Davila, Cole Wilcox, Michael Rucker and Alex Hoppe.

Why it matters: Seattle sits at 47-51 with a two-game losing streak, and has historically turned its season around after the All-Star break in every year but one since 2021. J.P. Crawford, under contract at shortstop, is considered lower priority for a positional upgrade despite recent struggles, pushing any righty addition toward a corner outfield or third-base role instead.

What to watch: The trade deadline lands August 3, with Seattle's bullpen and lefty-matchup issues expected to shape any moves before then.