Mariners Should Aggressively Pursue Yankees' Gleyber Torres Amid MLB Trade Rumors

There is a sense of optimism in Seattle this offseason, thanks in large part to the Mariners' first playoff appearance in 21 years and the organization locking up star rookie Julio Rodríguez on a seven-year, $105 million deal.

Winning one playoff series and signing a franchise-altering star cannot be the end of Seattle's efforts to better itself and advance deeper in the playoffs.

With every other team in the American League looking to spend money to acquire big-name free agents or re-sign their own stars, the Mariners must do the same or risk another two-decade postseason absence.

Starting with acquiring Yankees shortstop/second baseman Gleyber Torres, per Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

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Building Around Rodríguez

Mariners management recognizes the position it finds itself in this offseason. Rodríguez is one of the hottest, most exciting players in the Majors and the team is riding a wave of fan sentiment after returning to the playoffs for the first time in two decades.

It must strike now and make the necessary roster moves to establish itself as a player in the American League.

To do so, it must build around Rodríguez.

Yes, he is a dynamic young player at the plate and a budding defensive star in centerfield. The team needs to shore up its middle-of-the-diamond lineup, though, and that is where Torres comes in.

Torres can play shortstop and did so with the Yankees, though he struggled to be an everyday starter at that position and the Bronx Bombers' defense suffered as a result. Besides, the Mariners continue to pledge allegiance to JP Crawford as a shortstop and after signing him to a five-year, $50 million deal on Opening Day, it's not difficult to see why.

He has also played second base, with more experience and better numbers than anyone currently on the depth chart for Seattle at that particular position.

Nearly three times the home run output and better than every league average in every significant category except on-base percentage (and even then, it is only by .002 points), he would be a serious upgrade for a team looking to strengthen its defensive infield.

Even if Torres never quite became the star he was expected to be.

Seattle might not be able to get him away from New York, even as the Yankees tussle with the idea of trading him rather than keeping him on the payroll, as Sherman suggested may be the case. Miami tried to trade for him but the AL East champs turned them down at last year's deadline.

Luckily for the Mariners, there are several in their bullpen that may pique the Yankees' interest and make a trade between the teams more possible than what Miami had to offer.

Considering the Yankees could be looking for a way to deal him elsewhere according to the report, sending him across the country for some bullpen help that can help the team defensively is hardly the worst option for New York.

Such a deal would bring a veteran presence to the locker room, surround Rodríguez with the talent necessary and, maybe, provide Crawford with the nudge he needs to meet expectations and be the shortstop the Mariners believed him to be when they signed him to the aforementioned deal.

Seattle captured the attention of the baseball world with its feel-good story this past postseason. Now, it is time for the franchise to take the necessary steps to ensure it is less of a sentimental feeling when they make the playoffs and more business as usual.

That starts with acquiring Torres and shoring up the defensive side of the ball.