Yankees Discussing Brett Gardner in Trades

The on-field action is over, but the hot stove action is heating up.

And now, the Yankees are reportedly talking about Brett Gardner in trades, specifically with the Seattle Mariners, according to the New York Post.

As a Mariners fan, I love the idea of acquiring Gardner - just as many Yankee fans would love the idea of keeping him.

He had a .343 on-base percentage last season, which is a key point for the Mariners under new general manager Jerry DiPoto. He's also a centerfielder who is athletic enough to man the spacious Safeco Field grounds, so the idea that the Mariners would be interested makes perfect sense.

He's also experienced enough to help the Mariners now, and the M's still think they can contend while they have Felix Hernandez, Robinson Cano, and Nelson Cruz as productive players.

The Post says that the Yankees are looking for young, high-end pitching, and such would be the case if the Mariners were the partner.

The M's reportedly won't talk about Taijuan Walker, but they will listen on James Paxton, the 27-year-old with high velocity who has missed significant time with injury in the last two years.

The two sides worked out a deal just a few years ago, when the Yankees acquired Michael Pineda from the M's.