According to a recent report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, trade targets Brendan Donovan and Ketel Marte are still in play for the Seattle Mariners.

It's been reported that the Mariners are the co-favorites (with the San Francisco Giants) for Donovan, and frankly, a trade for him seems more likely. That said, the fact that the Mariners are still interested in Marte is noteworthy - and there's an important development in his market.

What's the change?

All of a sudden, the Arizona Diamondbacks are interested in free agent infielder Alex Bregman. However, as Rosenthal notes, they'll need to shed Marte's salary to make that move more attainable. Marte has five guaranteed years at just over $90 million remaining, and there's a sixth-year option that can take the deal over $110 million.

While certainly not nothing, that's a very reasonable deal by superstar standards, and Marte is just that.

The best offensive second baseman in the league, Marte is a three-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger. He just posted a 145 OPS+ for the Diamondbacks, hitting 28 home runs and driving in 72 runs in 126 games.

If the Diamondbacks truly want Bregman, they have to be more motivated to move Marte's money. If the Mariners are willing to take on most or all of the salary, perhaps Arizona will lower their asking price, which has been exorbitant. 

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Why is Donovan still more likely?

He's cheaper. And like it or not, the price matters in a lot of scenarios. He's going to make just over $5 million in arbitration (projected) next year and his 2027 arb number will be manageable as well. Furthermore, he can play second base, third base, left field or designated hitter, meaning he has flexibility that allows the Mariners to get creative with their lineups - and not block young players like Cole Young, Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson.

While he doesn't have the power of Jorge Polanco, who the M's just lost, his 13 percent strikeout rate means that the Mariners can have another contact-first player in the lineup, which is something they need.

How about the timing?

Cardinals social media seems to think a deal for Donovan is imminent, so a deal on that front could come at any moment. The Christmas holiday is looming, and while that doesn't mean work can't be done, the industry may feel some urgency to make things happen before then.

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