The head-scratching off-season continues for Major League Baseball, especially involving the Seattle Mariners, who seemed to be selling and rebuilding when the winter moves began. That mindset seems to have changed a bit on Thursday afternoon when they added slugger Edwin Encarancion from the Cleveland Indians in a three-team trade. The deal also includes the Tampa Bay Rays and sees recently-acquired Carlos Santana returning to the Indians, where he started his career. First baseman Jake Bauers is going to Cleveland, while Yandy Diaz goes to Tampa Bay from Cleveland.
The Mariners have already traded away the likes of Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano, and Jean Segura since the season ended, with the only significant name added being Santana. He came over from the Philadelphia Phillies in the Segura deal two weeks ago, but is now on his fourth different team in the past two seasons, now his second stint with the Indians.
Encarnacion is coming off a 32-home run season, where he hit .246 and led the American League with 107 RBIs, numbers that are common from the slugger throughout his career. His streak of seven straight seasons with at least 30 home runs is the longest active streak in all of baseball. With the way the Mariners have been moving stars already, there have been rumors of them potentially adding Encarnacion just to get younger pieces for a rebuild in a future trade before next season begins.
Santana returns to the Indians, whom he started his career with in 2010. He had signed a three-year contract with the Phillies last off-season, but only spent one year there before getting traded to Seattle. His stint there lasted no time, literally, as he was sent there on December 3rd.
The Mariners' trades really began on November 7th when they dealt Mike Zunino to Tampa Bay, as 11 players have been traded away since. That includes starting pitcher James Paxton, who threw a no-hitter this past season, but his now a member of the New York Yankees. If they do decide to keep Encarnacion, they are getting a lot of power, as he has 380 home runs and 1,156 RBIs in his career.
The Mariners have already traded away the likes of Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano, and Jean Segura since the season ended, with the only significant name added being Santana. He came over from the Philadelphia Phillies in the Segura deal two weeks ago, but is now on his fourth different team in the past two seasons, now his second stint with the Indians.
Encarnacion is coming off a 32-home run season, where he hit .246 and led the American League with 107 RBIs, numbers that are common from the slugger throughout his career. His streak of seven straight seasons with at least 30 home runs is the longest active streak in all of baseball. With the way the Mariners have been moving stars already, there have been rumors of them potentially adding Encarnacion just to get younger pieces for a rebuild in a future trade before next season begins.
Santana returns to the Indians, whom he started his career with in 2010. He had signed a three-year contract with the Phillies last off-season, but only spent one year there before getting traded to Seattle. His stint there lasted no time, literally, as he was sent there on December 3rd.
The Mariners' trades really began on November 7th when they dealt Mike Zunino to Tampa Bay, as 11 players have been traded away since. That includes starting pitcher James Paxton, who threw a no-hitter this past season, but his now a member of the New York Yankees. If they do decide to keep Encarnacion, they are getting a lot of power, as he has 380 home runs and 1,156 RBIs in his career.
