The best part of the MLB Trade Deadline is even if even the club you root for is no longer in contention for a playoff spot, they can still build for the future by pulling off a big deal before July 31. For the Seattle Mariners, they have a chance to do so with Erik Bedard.
Bedard is set to come off the disabled list on Friday evening and all eyes will be on the veteran left-handed starting pitcher. The Boston Red Sox have been rumored to be very interested with the back-end of their starting rotation in shambles and the lefty would be a welcome addition.
From Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi:
The Seattle Mariners had two scouts watching the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate on Wednesday night and one watching the Sox's Double-A club, according to major league sources.
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However, Boston's primary focus could be left-hander Erik Bedard, who has not pitched since June 27 because of a strained left knee but will come off the disabled list Friday night to pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox are "all over" Bedard, one source said, and both the Sox and New York Yankees are expected to scout Bedard on Friday night.
It has been a rough season in Seattle, but Bedard has quietly excelled after battling injuries for multiple seasons. His ERA of 3.00 and xFIP of 3.30 have been a valuable addition to the starting staff. The Red Sox know this, and assuming Bedard looks sharp in his return on Friday evening, he could fetch a valuable piece or two from Boston's farm system. And if recent trade deadlines have shown us anything, it's that teams are desperate to add pitching for the final two months of the season.
For a player who was signed for just a million dollars this past offseason, Jack Zduriencik has found his most valuable asset at the trade deadline. Those are the kind of deals you look for when rebuilding a ball club.