Mariners trade for Kendrys Morales

If only they had an opportunity to bring him to Seattle earlier -- oh.

The Mariners could have re-signed Kendrys Morales at any point in the 2013-2014 offseason, and it would not have cost them a compensatory draft pick unlike with the 29 other teams. Instead, they did everything in their power to bring in players who were not Kendrys Morales in order to fill his role -- a rehabbing Corey Hart and a player who hasn't been productive since 2011 in Logan Morrison were the preference over the first productive designated hitter they had managed to find in years. They then watched as the 29 teams who would be charged a draft pick for signing Morales refused to do so until the fear of losing said draft pick subsided post-draft, bringing the Mariners nothing but the disappointment they're probably used to when it comes to their hitters.

On Thursday the Mariners traded for Morales, sending minor league pitcher Stephen Pryor to the Twins. While Morales batted .277/.336/.449 for a 122 OPS+ in his one season with Seattle, he's struggled in 2014, posting a .234/.259/.325 line that makes it seem as if Morales dearly misses the spring training he didn't get to attend because of his never-ending free agency.

For some reason, this is the version of Morales the Mariners are intrigued by.

Artist's rendering of Morales as a Mariners' hitter. (Photo credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)

Let's not criticize too much, though: the Mariners desperately needed some offense to aid a pitching staff that's carried them to, as of now, a wild card berth in the AL. It would be their first playoff appearance since 2001 were they to hold on, and Morales, even with his struggles, increases their chances of doing so. Mariners' designated hitters have batted .196/.277/.293 in 2014, for an OPS+ of 56. Morales, enduring the worst struggles of his career, has been slightly better than that: if you had to bet on the current Mariners' DH options figuring it out or Morales doing so, you'd bet on Morales, both because of who he's been and also because Mariners' DHs have hit a collective .221/.298/.350 over the last five years. Remember, that line includes 122 of Morales' productive 2013 games, too. They figured out a solution once, and then let him walk away.

If Morales bounces back to be even league average, he's a massive step forward on not just 2014, but the entire decade of Mariners' designated hitting. If he spends most of his time at first base, the story is the same, as they've only received a .225/.288/.372 line out of the position this year. Pryor isn't much to give up for Morales as a 24-year-old reliever who hasn't dominated the minors, but it's the principle of the thing: they could have had him from the start, knowing it was the best course of action, but they waited until more than half the season was over to do the obvious. They could still get away with their inaction, but they better hope they do: if they miss out on the postseason by a game or two it won't be difficult to isolate the main reason reason how it happened.

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