As the MLB Trade Deadline nears (Monday), the speculation around the Seattle Mariners is rampant.

Some people want the Mariners to buy and go all-in on a team that is just 53-56 but is also just 2.5 games back of both the American League West lead and the American League wild card. 

Some fans want the team to sell, and do somewhat of a reset.

Some fans want the Mariners to go with a hybrid approach and do a little bit of both.

As the deadline approaches, it's getting more and clear that the Mariners are OK with the idea of trading a starting pitcher, probably either Luis Castillo or Emerson Hancock.

While Castillo certainly would have some value to a team that needs pitching, his age (33) and contract (more than $30 million over the next year-plus), mean that he likely won't bring in a huge return. Hancock, on the other hand, is seen as a better trade chip. He's just 27 years old, is under team control for 4-plus more years, and is in the midst of a breakout season (6-5, 3.26 ERA in 20 starts).

It feels like that should have real value on the market and could help bring the Mariners something to help one of the league's worst-ranked offenses.

However, Buster Olney of ESPN doesn't necessarily think that's the case. Speaking on the most recent edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast, Olney was asked if the Boston Red Sox' recent trade of Connelly Early to the Washington Nationals for Curtis Mead is a fair trade comparison:

"Yeah, apples and oranges. Because I think Connolly Early, the upside is viewed as higher. Like, after that trade was made, I heard from folks with a number of different teams saying that it was a fleece job, that they thought that the Nationals did a great job with that trade.

I have not heard Emerson Hancock talked about in the same way. Now, there's certainly been great moments. He has been an important guy on this team, how he's performed. But the fact that the Mariners have it out there, because they could always come out and stomp on any rumors, the fact that they've allowed it to be out there tells you where he is in their pecking order among the starting pitchers, and so you could get something in return.

But I gotta say, right now is a terrible time to be marketing his starting pitcher. And that's not anything that the Mariners or any other team has done. The bottom line is that, in this particular marketplace, it's really scarce at catcher, right-handed hitters, and there is a voluminous number of starting pitchers available.

Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Clay Holmes, Freddy Peralta, Robbie Ray, Dustin May—tons of guys.

And that means, you know, and I would assume because of the service time that Emerson Hancock has, that the Mariners would set a high price on him. That would be appropriate. But I think, given the uncertainty about the labor situation, given the fact that there's so many alternatives in the market right now, it's not a great time to be getting a big return on someone like Emerson Hancock."

That's certainly disappointing news for Mariners fans who were hoping that Hancock could be the trade chip that brings back the help that Seattle desperately needs if it wants to stay in the playoff race.

The Mariners will wrap up a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:10 p.m. PT at Dodger Stadium. Seattle won Game 1 of the series while dropping Game 2.

Bryan Woo will be on the mound for Seattle against right-hander Roki Sasaki.

The latest 'Refuse to Lose Territory' featuring ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney is out now. You can listen here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below.