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If you’ve listened to any baseball expert or even the Mariners front office itself, there’s one thing they were in unison on when it comes to the Mariners’ farm system.
Harry Ford is going to be a star.
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So when the Mariners traded him away to the Washington Nationals on Saturday, it left some fans perplexed – and understandably so.
But the move actually signals something else that Mariners fans, easily the most patient and loyal in Major League Baseball, have wanted for years.
An all-win, win now attitude.
And sometimes, that means some painful things to put yourself in the best position to win now.
To that end, the Mariners sent Ford to the Nationals for high-leverage left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer (pronounced Fur-air).
Ferrer was so highly thought of that he became the Nationals’ closer in the back-half of 2025 and features a stinging 98 mph sinker as his arsenal continues to grow.
Most importantly, Ferrer is a lefty. Meaning Gabe Speier is no longer alone in the Mariners bullpen as the lone left-handed reliever. Couple that with his talent, ability to avoid walks, and just as importantly, his four seasons of club control, and the move makes a lot of sense.
The Mariners have that arm to go with Speier, Andres Munoz, and Matt Brash in the most crucial of moments. Ferrer would have been a big piece of the puzzle this past October had he been wearing a Mariners uniform.
The team will be better in 2026.
Now, none of that changes the incredible potential of Ford.
He’s a catcher who, at just 22 years old, mashed for Triple-A Tacoma with a .283 average. He’s ready for the majors.
But of all the Mariners prospects, nearly ten of them, including Ford, in MLB’s top 100 last season, Ford had the toughest road to playing time.
Of course, he was sitting behind the best catcher in baseball, who hit 60 home runs, Cal Raleigh.
While it’s true he could have played some designated hitter, it wouldn’t have resulted in everyday at-bats.
The Mariners, by making this move, obviously feel they can handle the backup catcher and DH spots with other players. Understanding that, of course, Ford could develop into one of the game’s best for someone else.
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Maybe it hurts watching Ford unleash his talent in DC in a few years.
But maybe that sting is lessened by the Mariners making it to the World Series.
Ferrer alone, of course, doesn’t get you there, but this team was 8 outs away from winning Game 7 of the ALCS; perhaps his arm could have made the difference. The Mariners are making the move they believe puts them in the best position in 2026, the all-in year. That’s what this move means.
It’s a now-or-never mentality.
So Ford, the first round pick of the Mariners in 2021, leaves the Ms after just one regular season hit, one walk-off (a sacrifice fly to beat the Angels in the 12th inning on September 11), and one postseason hit against Toronto.
The story of this trade will truthfully be told over the next year, but Mariners fans will be watching closely with both players under contract for several years to come.
This sort of aggressive, win now at all costs mentality is what fans have wanted for some time. The 2025 run clearly has put the Mariners in a position to follow through on it. The hope is that difficult trades like this lead to exponential rewards next fall.