Mariners not likely to trade for big name

Mark Trumbo might be the biggest name the Mariners add to their roster this trade season. The Mariners are expected to be active, however according to Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, the club is not expected to pursue any other large names before the end of the month.

While the Mariners are in pursuit of a right-handed reliever and backup catcher, General Manager Jack Zduriencik told Divish the organization attempted to get ahead by making a deal for Trumbo early.

"We did the Mark Trumbo thing," he said. "We tried to jump the market and make a deal at the time that we thought could bring in, what we considered, a pretty good power bat for our lineup, to help augment what we already have."

At 41-49 and sitting eight and a half games back in the American League West, the Mariners are hoping to make a second half playoff run. Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano were signed to notably large free agent contracts and Zduriencik has added Seth Smith and Austin Jackson to the mix via trades. The decision to part with Welington Castillo might plague the Mariners, whose strategy could change with a fast start to the second half.

If the Mariners consistently struggle, the front office will likely consider dealing veterans such as J.A. Happ, Hisashi Iwakuma, and Jackson. Since the Mariners had high expectations heading into 2015, a slow end to the season might also result in a front office mix-up. Zduriencik could be out of a job if the roster he assembled does not perform consistently.

Seattle will play 22 of their 73 remaining games against squads with a record of five hundred or better. As a result, the club will have an opportunity to gain ground quickly. Whether the Mariners are able to do it before the end of the month remains to be seen.