Mariners need to hit the gas again

As the trade deadline in Major League Baseball approaches — with some teams making some big deals already — chances are the Seattle Mariners will add another piece in the coming days.

But who?

Where?

And for whom?

UNLESS SOMETHING special happens between today and Monday, the final day teams can make trades without having to pass players through waivers, it appears the Mariners will approach the playoff chase the same way they have all season.

With whoever they’ve got.

Not that it’s a bad thing — the team entered Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels with 61 wins.

A few weeks ago, Seattle was rumored to be in the market for Cole Hamels. In case you missed it, Hamels went to the Chicago Cubs late Thursday.

And maybe the Mariners made their big splash with the acquisition of Denard Span and Alex Colome earlier this year, but they’ll need more in the coming weeks.

Sure, they’ll get Robinson Cano back in a few weeks. Where he’ll play — at least for now — and for how long remains a bit of a mystery as he’s rumored to be shifting to first base when he returns on Aug. 14.

The downside of that is he’d be replacing Ryon Healy, who was the lone offense in the team’s recent win over the Chicago White Sox.

If the last few weeks is any indication, the Mariners need to do something soon.

Otherwise, it could be another long fall.

SEATTLE MADE a move early on Friday, acquiring reliever Sam Tuivailala from St. Louis for a minor league pitcher.

But it’s nothing like some of their counterparts in the American League have done in recent days.

Earlier this week, the New York Yankees acquired reliever Zach Britton, then added former Mariner J.A. Happ on Thursday. Having one of those guys really helped their chances, but both, that might be enough for a deep run to the playoffs.

Even Houston, last year’s World Series champions, added catcher Martin Maldonado from the Los Angeles Angels, joining an already loaded group with Brian McCann, who is out with an injury, and Evan Gattis.

Considering the recent struggles of the Mariner offense, it’s easy to say that getting Cano back will solve all those problems.

Maybe it will.

Sooner than later, the team is going to have to make a big splash like when it signed Nelson Cruz to a four-year deal in free agency in 2014.

Whether that be adding a bat in the next three days, or shipping a fan favorite out of town, they need to make something happen soon.

Oakland began its traditional late-season surge last month, and are right on the Mariners’ heels. The Athletics aren’t going away.

Neither are the Yankees or Boston Red Sox.

Seattle better do something soon, or all this success will be gone before we know it.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at (208) 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.