The Seattle Mariners made their first big trade of the offseason by sending former top prospect Michael Saunders to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for starting picther J.A. Happ.
The move was first reported by ESPN’s Jayson Stark.
#Mariners have traded OF Michael Saunders to #BlueJays for LHP J.A. Happ, according to a source. More to come at http://t.co/gtnhE8SFiG
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 3, 2014
There are so many different layers to this deal. By sending Saunders packing, the Mariners might very well be indicating that they are in play for another prized outfielder moving forward this offseason. Seattle signed Nelson Cruz to a four-year, $57 million contract earlier this offseason. He’s slated to likely split time between left field and designated hitter.
That in and of itself might have made Saunders expendable.
The 28-year-old outfielder played in less than half the Mariners games last season, hitting .273 with eight homers and 34 RBI. Saunders’ best season came in 2012 when he still hit under .250 with 19 homers and 21 stolen bases.
While those numbers are far from impressive, it’s important to note that Saunders wasn’t set to become a free agent until 2017 and still provides a ton of upside.
As it relates to Happ, the Mariners get a back-of-the-rotation guy that lacks plus-stuff. After jumping on to the scene as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009 with a 12-4 record, Happ has seen limited success. He went 11-11 with 4.22 ERA in 30 appearances (26 starts) this past season. Happ did put up substandard WHIP (1.34) and hits-per-nine inning (9.61) numbers. He figures to challenge for a fifth spot in Seattle’s rotation this upcoming season.
For Toronto, the acquisition of Saunders may signify that the team is not going to be able to retain free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera. Despite possessing the five tools necessary to be an impact player, Saunders has not shown that type of production. If this is the end all be all for Toronto, it’s a significant downgrade.
Photo: OregonLive.com