It's trade deadline time once again, and many teams like the Seattle Mariners are looking to get stronger to make a run at the postseason.
Currently the Mariners are 50-42 and in a lot of divisions that would be enough for a first place position, but in the super strong American League West that gets them third place. They are 8 games behind the Oakland Athletics, and 3.5 behind the Los Angeles Angels.
When Marlon Byrd joined the Phillies last year, he put four teams in a no-trade clause, and the Mariners are one of those teams.
According to CSNPhilly.com, Byrd may be willing to head to Seattle, if he does have to be traded.
"I don't want to get traded," he said to Jim Salsbury Thursday, while the team was in Milwaukee. "I signed a two-year deal here for a reason. The thought process was to retire as a Phillie. At the same time, this is a business and I know how it works. If trading me makes the organization better, I have to go with it."
Originally he had Toronto, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Seattle as the four teams in his no-trade clause.
Toronto and Tampa Bay were there because the teams play on artificial turf, and that can be hard on knees and joints. He said he put the Mariners and the Royals on originally, for reasons at the time, hinting he may be interested in going there now.
"There would have to be a conversation with me, my agent and Ruben (Amaro Jr., the Phillies' GM) if it gets to that point," Byrd said.
That conversation may happen pretty soon too, because the Royals and Mariners are in contention this year, and both could use a strong bat.
The Phillies' rightfielder is having an excellent season at the plate, and could be that bat. He leads the team in homers with 18 and slugging at .484. He is second on the team in RBIs with 52, and he is batting .263.
According to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, the Mariners are scouting Byrd and could make a trade offer soon. Byrd would be a step up from Michael Saunders and Endy Chavez, the current players holding down right field in Seattle.
