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“Because he’s A) a rental and B) the best reliever on the market, Chapman only makes sense for teams who need to see pursuing him as being the key to unlocking a World Series run. The Mariners fit the bill, as adding another late-inning arm to an undermanned bullpen would make their pitching staff the best in the AL—if it isn’t already.”

How It Helps the Mariners

The Mariners have the third-best bullpen ERA in the American League with a 3.59 mark, but some reinforcements certainly can’t hurt, and bullpen help is always at a premium at the trade deadline.

Chapman is a rental, so he shouldn’t cost much in terms of quantity of prospects, but the Mariners could follow in the footsteps of the 2016 Chicago Cubs and 2023 Texas Rangers, two teams who acquired Chapman at the trade deadline and went on to win the World Series.

But at the very least, the 38-year-old left-hander is somebody who could be an option in the closer spot along with Andres Munoz. Chapman may prefer to pitch in the ninth inning, but given the strong numbers he has put up this season, he could be a real candidate to pitch in that spot.

He owns a 1.99 ERA and has recorded 15 saves in his 24 appearances with the Red Sox this season. He is an eight-time All-Star and two-time AL Reliever of the Year, and having that presence in the bullpen could give Seattle a big advantage as they try to win another AL West title and make a push towards the World Series again.

Red Sox Not Done Yet

The one complicating factor to this potential deal would be where the Red Sox are in the standings. They are only five games back in the wild card race, and if they start to gain ground, then perhaps they’ll choose to hold onto Chapman.

Boston was a wild card team last year, and because the AL is weaker this year, there is still a chance for them to overcome the odds and not have to sell pieces off. But they could get a good return for Chapman.