Seattle Mariners Need To Sign Yulieski Gourriel As Soon As Possible

The story of Yulieski Gourriel is an interesting one to say the least. A superstar in Cuba for over a decade, Gourriel was seen as the top prize in the Cuban market. The only problem was that it was thought Gourriel would never leave Cuba, considering his family has ties to the Cuban government. That all changed this offseason when 32-year-old Gourriel defected from Cuba with his brother, Lourdes Gourriel Jr., in February 2016.

For all the Cuban stars who have defected over the last few years (Jose Abreu, Yoenis Cespedes and Aroldis Chapman), Gourriel could be the best of the group. He has hit for over a .300 average in each of his last 10 seasons. His career .335 mark with 250 home runs is impressive, even in the hitter-friendly Cuban league.

Last year, he hit .500 with 15 home runs and 51 RBIs in 49 games. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention he is an infielder? He is considered a third or second baseman, but he could play shortstop rather easily.

If the Seattle Mariners are not doing everything they can to get this guy, they are crazy. Sure, Kyle Seager and Robinson Cano are cemented in their roles at third and second base, respectively. But you don’t see many players of Gourriel’s caliber, so if the problem is fitting him in somewhere, it seems like a small inconvenience to have. Gourriel is the real deal, a once in a lifetime bat.

If I’m the Mariners, it’s time for a sign and trade. Gourriel could easily be the starter on any team that signs him for the rest of his career. It might seem a bit crazy, but signing Gourriel and trading Seager for a top of the rotation starter could be amazing for the club. Felix Hernandez is getting older every year, and the Mariners are still missing that No. 2 starter they have desperately craved since the days of Cliff Lee.

There is no guarantee on Gourriel, though. He is a huge fan of the New York Yankees, as are a lot of Cuban players, so the Yankees have a good chance at grabbing him. His favorite player is Alex Rodriguez and he is an ex-teammate of Chapman, current closer for the Yankees. Believe it or not, Chapman might be the answer.

The Yankees are thought to be looking to trade both Andrew Miller and Chapman. The Mariners could use a true closer, moving Steve Cishek to a setup role and drastically improving the bullpen. Chapman would not come for cheap, but the Mariners do have some trade chips to utilize. If acquiring Chapman led to Gourriel though, it would be worth it.

Losing Seager and say, Alex Jackson and D.J. Peterson, for Chapman, Gourriel and a top of the rotation starter is a deal that I’m sure almost every Mariners fan would take. The decline of the Mariners lately has been more than alarming and it looks time to make some changes. I just hope Jerry Dipoto looks at the big picture and takes a chance on Gourriel. It’s a long shot, but it’s one worth looking for the Mariners.