Report: Casting wide net, Mariners also interested in Willingham, Viciedo

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At 51-44, the Seattle Mariners sense the opportunity to make their first playoff appearance since 2001, and they appear to be leaving no stone unturned in their attempt to solidify the roster ahead of the trade deadline.

Already tied to rumors involving Ben Zobrist and Marlon Bryd, the Mariners are interested in a pair of AL Central outfielders as well, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports:

The Mariners are interested in fortifying their lineup, and also have talked about the Twins' Josh Willingham, the White Sox's Dayan Viciedo and the Phillies' Marlon Byrd, though a trade for Byrd, whose four-team no-trade clause includes Seattle, is said to be “less than likely” now by a league source.

If you're looking for a trend, it's pretty clear the Mariners want a right-handed bat to add to their outfield. Willingham, Viciedo and Byrd are all righties and Zobrist is a switch-hitter; this makes sense as a target, as the Mariners' outfield ranks 26th in baseball in wRC+, with an offensive output 17 percent below league average. The team has also struggled against leties, slugging .348, better than only the San Diego Padres.

The Mariners are thought to be dangling utilityman Nick Franklin and are open to dealing prospects, with fast-rising D.J. Peterson perhaps available if "it was a really big deal." 

Zobrist is probably the only one of those names that would qualify as a "big deal," but upgrading on Stefen Romero, James Jones, Endy Chavez and the like is a low bar with potentially significant value at the margins in what should be a very tight AL West race.