The Mariners Outfield, Now With Cameron Maybin
Earlier this afternoon, the Mariners acquired Cameron Maybin from the Marlins for infield prospect Bryson Brigman and international slot money. This isn’t an especially big trade, but it might end up being an important one for Seattle, who, at this very moment, is just two games ahead of the A’s for the second AL wild card spot.
If we were inclined to be charitable, we might say that center field hasn’t been a strength for the Mariners this season. The nastier sorts among us might describe the play there as having been lousy. The collection of players Seattle has run out rank 20th at the position in team WAR, and the defense has been worse, checking in at 24th. Some of that is the result of the short-lived Dee Gordon, Center Fielder experiment, but the trouble hasn’t stopped there. Guillermo Heredia is a useful fourth outfielder, but he has been exposed since being pressed into more regular service with Gordon’s shift back to the infield. He’s mustered a meager .229/.314/.335 slash line and an 85 wRC+, and even that is buoyed by a hot April and May. He is oddly performing better against righties than lefties but not doing well against either. And in what is admittedly a limited 90-game sample, he hasn’t been the sort of defensive standout whose play in the field compensates for his struggles at the plate.
With the trade, the Mariners outfield shifts some. Maybin, who has been a plus defender before and grades well now, will slot into center, with Mitch Haniger shifting back to right field and some combination of Denard Span and Ben Gamel playing in left.
Maybin may not represent a huge offensive upgrade (his season slash line of .251/.338/.343 and wRC+ of 91 aren’t All-Star level, though July has gone better with a 148 wRC+), but the slightly better bat and more-than-slightly better defense constitute a definite improvement. Haniger can play a capable enough center field, and he may still play there on occasion, but acquiring Maybin allows the Mariners to keep Gordon at second base (Robinson Cano is slated to assume first base duties when he returns from his PED suspension) and give Heredia a breather on the bench or in Tacoma.
For that, the Mariners give up slot money and Brigman, who Eric Longenhagen described thusly:
Bryson Brigman is a 2B w/ long track record of making contact, dating back to high-level high school and college showcases/national teams. Lack of physicality/power have been the issue in pro ball. Stats are up this year, but in Cal League. Batted ball profile hasn't shifted.
— Eric Longenhagen (@longenhagen) July 31, 2018
Acquiring Maybin is something of a marginal trade, but the AL postseason picture seems likely to be decided at the margins. In that respect, it might end up mattering quite a bit.
Meg is the editor-in-chief of FanGraphs and the co-host of Effectively Wild. Prior to joining FanGraphs, her work appeared at Baseball Prospectus, Lookout Landing, and Just A Bit Outside. You can follow her on Bluesky @megrowler.fangraphs.com.
Barely an upgrade over Heredia. For the life of me can’t understand why they wouldn’t have beat the Rays’ offer for Pham.
I’m surprised half a dozen teams didn’t beat the Rays’ offer for Pham. Only thing I can figure is that it really was personal between Pham and the STL front office, and they were determined to send him to baseball purgatory rather than a playoff contender
Ok, which three Mariners would you have given up?
Tampa has one less win than St. Louis, and much less money.
It’s likelier that not many teams thought Pham was available. and Tampa just knocked them out with an offer. St,Louis also perhaps felt that their guys in the wings were just as good.
The Cards could have shopped him better, perhaps. Then again, the return isnt bad. 3 more controllable options.
Sure, there were larger upgrades, but we have no idea what they might have offered, or whether the Cards really shopped Pham around vs. consummating a trade quickly (that organization’s in a bit of disarray). Not every deal is one where the GM takes the time to check in with 10 other teams to start a bidding war.
It’s a small upgrade, but it’s an upgrade. That ~0.5 WAR difference between Maybin and Heredia over the last 2 months of the year could be the difference between holding off Oakland and not.
I like this trade for the Mariners. Add Maybin to the outfield mix and foster some competition. He’s not a world beater, but everyone knows DiPoto is running out of ammo in the trade gun.
I wonder whether Justin Smoak would clear waivers. They could play Cano at 2B until the playoffs. Gordon isn’t mandatory in the starting lineup.
This is another indictment of Dipoto’s draft record.
Instead of drafting Bryson Brigman, Dipoto could have drafted LHP Jesus Luzardo (#12 ranked prospect, AAA, 20 years old) in the Third Round of the 2016 draft. Dipoto could also have drafted RHP Dustin May (#82 ranked prospect, AA, 20 years old) in the same round. Alternatively, Dipoto could have drafted Bo Bichette (#9 ranked prospect, AA, 20 years old), instead of Joe Rizzo in the Second Round of the 2016 draft. Similarly, Dipoto could have drafted Forrest Whitley (#7 ranked prospect, AA, 20 years old), instead of Kyle Lewis in the First Round of the 2016 draft. With just these three alternative picks in the 2016 draft, Seattle’s minor league system would look completely different.
It is worth remembering that Maybin was acquired by Houston on August 30, 2017 in a waiver wire claim…no prospects, Houston agreed to pay the rest of Maybin’s salary ($1.5 million). At the time, Maybin was leading the AL in SB’s. Seattle was apparently desperate enought for an extra 4 weeks of Maybin to give up a Third Round pick.