Seattle’s Pitching Logjam Could Make Logan Gilbert a Trade Chip Next Year

The Seattle Mariners have a problem most teams would kill for. They have too many good starting pitchers.

But that surplus could eventually lead to moving Logan Gilbert. Maybe not now, but sooner than you think.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan floated the possibility that Gilbert’s name is one to watch, especially if Seattle’s younger arms develop on schedule. The Mariners have no plans to trade him this season, Passan reported. Gilbert has been their best starter. But he’s under team control only through 2027, and the organization has two intriguing prospects already knocking on the door: Kade Anderson, who looks big-league ready, and Ryan Sloan, who isn’t far behind.

That timeline creates an interesting situation. If you’re Seattle’s front office, you have to ask whether it makes sense to trade Gilbert for a big bat before he gets expensive and before he can walk.

The Offense Problem Won’t Fix Itself

The Mariners’ pitching is elite. Their starters rank fifth in ERA. The bullpen is also fifth. That’s not the issue.

The issue is the lineup. Seattle ranks 27th in batting average, 22nd in on-base percentage, 24th in runs scored, and 28th in slugging. The only respectable number is home runs, where they sit 13th. They can hit the ball out of the park sometimes, but they can’t string together consistent offense. That’s a roster construction problem.

People around the league have wondered if Seattle would trade Luis Castillo instead. He makes more money and has a longer contract. But the progress of Anderson and Sloan changes the calculus. If those two develop as hoped, suddenly the Mariners have six starting pitchers worth keeping. That’s one too many for a team that needs a middle-of-the-order bat.

Gilbert is having a fine season. He’s 7-5 with a 3.19 ERA. If he keeps that up through next year, his trade value will be at its peak. A team like St. Louis, which Passan mentioned as a potential suitor, could offer the kind of young hitter Seattle desperately needs.

The Mariners aren’t making this move now. They probably won’t make it this winter, either. But a year from now, with Anderson and Sloan pushing for rotation spots, the math might force their hand. And that’s when a trade that looks unthinkable today could become the most logical move on the board.