Mariners projected as best trade fit for AL Cy Young-winning pitcher

Billy Heyen

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Mariners projected as best trade fit for AL Cy Young-winning pitcher image

The Seattle Mariners made it to Game 7 of the ALCS.

One name linked to them in a trade would do more than any other in pushing them beyond that stage: Tarik Skubal.

Skubal, who played college baseball at Seattle University, just won the AL Cy Young for a second consecutive season with the Detroit Tigers.

And at least some people think Skubal is going to get traded.

ESPN's David Schoenfield broke down the best trade fits for some star pitchers, and for Skubal, he picked the Mariners.

Schoenfield added he thinks there's only a 10% chance Skubal gets moved. But if he does, it could be to Seattle.

"The most likely fit for Skubal is a team that's missing a potential final player but wouldn't be a candidate to sign him as a free agent -- and it must have a strong farm system," Schoenfield writes. "That's the Mariners. They have young, controllable starters they could include, such as Kirby or Miller, plus three top-100 pitching prospects in Anderson (No. 16), Sloan (No. 43) and switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (No. 96). Even after trading top catching prospect Harry Ford a few days ago, they have four other top-100 position players (although Colt Emerson is untouchable). Seattle has the depth to pull off a trade without sacrificing the future."

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There'd certainly be an astounding buzz around the Mariners, even more than there will be anyway, if they added Skubal.

It'd be the kind of deal that turns your upcoming season into a World Series-or-bust campaign.

That'd be a wild spot to be considering that the Mariners have never even reached the Fall Classic.

But if Skubal were to somehow make it to town, look out.

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Contributing Writer