Ahead of the trade deadline, the Seattle Mariners are weighing catcher Hunter Goodman as a potential boost to their offense. Catcher Cal Raleigh said he believes in the team and is targeting the World Series. Meanwhile, Seattle is expecting a rare rain during the Seafair festival—unusual for early August.
Hunter Goodman: a new candidate to “save” Seattle’s offense?
The market for right-handed hitters before MLB’s trade deadline is narrowing by the day, and the Seattle Mariners, desperate for an offensive upgrade, are being forced to look at unconventional options. After injuries knocked out two of the most obvious candidates—Casey Schmidt of the San Francisco Giants and Spencer Stir of the Cincinnati Reds—attention has turned to Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, a two-time All-Star. Despite the obvious complications of negotiations with the Rockies and a less-than-perfect positional fit, his power could be the solution capable of changing the Mariners’ season.
At first, it seemed there were almost no options left. As sports.mynorthwest.com reports, on Monday Spencer Stir of the Reds landed on the injured list (a right wrist strain; at least two weeks out), and on Tuesday Casey Schmidt of the Giants joined the IL (a left knee meniscus tear). San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said Schmidt “will probably miss significant time,” and with two months remaining in the regular season, it could cost him the rest of the campaign. Both players had been viewed as among the best right-handed options on the market, and their sudden unavailability drastically shrinks the pool of potential upgrades.
Analysts, however, propose an unexpected move: look at Hunter Goodman in Colorado. Sure, the Rockies have traditionally been reluctant to do trades. With the current general manager, Jerry Dipoto, Seattle has never made a deal with the franchise. Plus, Goodman is primarily a catcher, and at that position the Mariners already have Cal Raleigh, even if he’s in a slump. Still, there are strong arguments.
Most importantly, Goodman can hit. Over the last two seasons (242 games), he’s posted a .270/.326/.535 line with an .826 OPS and a 120 wRC+. Among catchers with at least 600 plate appearances, he ranks first in slugging percentage, trailing only Raleigh in home runs (62) and RBI (151), and in doubles (44) he’s third. This season, he already matched his personal home-run high (31) with a .260/.888 OPS and 2.6 fWAR.
It’s also important that Goodman isn’t a “Coors Field” product—the Colorado park widely known as the most hitter-friendly. On the road this season, his numbers are even better: .284 with a .956 OPS and 18 home runs in 50 games, compared with .233 and .815 with 13 home runs at home. He’s equally effective against left-handers and right-handers: versus lefties, he has a .293/.928 OPS with eight home runs; versus righties, .244/.869 OPS with 23 home runs.
The positional issue could be addressed by moving Goodman to the outfield or first base—he’s already played those positions (right and left field, first base) in 2023–2024. But his defense leaves something to be desired: minus 4 DRS in 292 innings in the outfield, along with below-average play behind the plate. He also has a high strikeout rate (32.6%, 3rd percentile) and a high swing-and-miss rate (35.7%, 4th percentile), but he offsets that with an excellent barrel rate (17.2%, 97th percentile) and strong contact (45.5% hard-hit balls, 75th percentile).
Goodman is in his pre-arbitration year and remains under club control through 2029, making him an attractive asset for the future. He could also replace Randy Arozarena in left field if Arozarena walks in free agency after the season. And perhaps Goodman could end up being the best available right-handed bat that will be on the trade market at all.
Of course, a deal with Colorado would require massive compensation—likely top prospects. But when Plan A falls apart due to injuries, and Plan B runs into the partner’s reluctance to negotiate, the Mariners may decide to take the risk. If they want to salvage the season and give their lineup the power it’s missing, Hunter Goodman is a risk that may be worth taking.
Cal Raleigh: “We’re targeting the World Series”—the Mariners catcher’s stance ahead of the trade deadline
Ahead of MLB’s trade deadline, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh shared his thoughts on the team’s strategy. Despite a disappointing 53–55 record before the July 29, 2026 game, the front office is determined: they’re once again ready to be aggressive in the market. Raleigh recalled that last year, when the Mariners were four games back in the division and had only a 6.8% chance of winning the World Series, the club made two blockbuster trades—acquiring Josh Naylor and getting Eugenio Suárez back. Those moves helped them win the AL West and reach the league championship series. The situation now looks similar: they’re 2.5 games behind the Rangers and, according to FanGraphs projections, have a 6.2% chance.
In an interview with The Seattle Times, Raleigh emphasized that the team has two views on the deadline. “I feel like we already have a great team,” he said. “I don’t know if you have to add for the sake of it, but playoff teams want to add. Ultimately, we’re still targeting the World Series… so we will be adding, and I’m excited about that.” The key point: Raleigh believes in the current roster, stressing that the team’s fate depends on that core. He also mentioned the return of injured players—utilityman Brandon Donovan, relievers Matt Brash and Cooper Criswell—and noted that you can’t keep the bullpen seven-strong forever.
Notably, in Tuesday’s 7–6 win over the Dodgers, Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez were home-run hitters in the same game for the first time since April. In games like that, since 2022, the Mariners have an impressive 26–7 record. “No matter what happens at the deadline, the final decision on where this team goes is still on this core group,” Raleigh concluded. His comments reflect the mood in the clubhouse: despite a rough start, the club remains confident and is ready to fight for a title.
Rain on Seafair: a rare event for early August in Seattle
Seattle residents planning to visit the traditional Seafair festival this weekend may want to bring an umbrella. Forecasters are calling for a 40% chance of rain Saturday morning—a big rarity for the driest part of the year. According to the National Weather Service, measurable precipitation on August 1 has occurred only twice in the last 41 years—2008 and 1985. Meteorologist Kirby Cook noted that while rain is possible, it’s unlikely to be a downpour, and by the time of the Blue Angels airshow, the clouds would likely have thinned. Interestingly, the The Seattle Times article also highlights that since 1945, the average amount of rainfall on August 1 is just one-hundredth of an inch. That makes the predicted rain nearly unique for a date that coincides with the peak of summer heat. For seaplane racing, cloud cover could create visibility issues, but Seafair—held for 76 years—has organizers who are prepared for that kind of weather. According to Cook, even a light rain could be a relief during the hottest period of the year, when temperatures typically reach the 80s in Fahrenheit. So this rare weather event won’t spoil the celebration—it will add a bit of historical flair.
