MLB trade rumors: Mariners have tried to acquire Twins’ Ervin Santana

The Mariners have worked to acquire Twins right-hander Ervin Santana “multiple times,” according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Divish notes that the team’s pursuit of Santana is now “on hold” due to Minnesota passing Seattle in the AL Wild Card standings.

Seattle is currently without starters James Paxton, Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and Drew Smyly, so the club is obviously looking for rotation help on the waiver-trade market. Santana, who is under contract for next season, fits the mold of the type of starter general manager Jerry Dipoto has targeted in trade talks.

The Twins were open to discussing Santana before last month’s non-waiver trade deadline but chose to deal only Jaime Garcia and Brandon Kintzler. Since then, the club has risen to just 0.5 games out of a wild card spot in the American League and should be considered more likely to make additions than subtractions for the rest of the month.

Seattle could pursue another starter in trade talks, with Divish listing Toronto’s Marco Estrada, Texas’ Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross, Chicago’s Miguel Gonzalez and Derek Holland, Atlanta’s R.A. Dickey and Cincinnati’s Scott Feldman as potential other options.