As part of the trade, the Diamondbacks are sending right-hand pitcher Carlos Vargas and veteran catcher Seby Zavala to Seattle.

Speaking with reporters about the trade, Diamondbacks’ general manager Mike Hazen said that the move will give the team more stability on third base.

“It adds a little bit of stability at that spot,” Hazen said. “He’s a guy we’ve liked for a long time.”

Suarez played in all 162 games with the Mariners this past season, batting .232 with 22 home runs and 96 RBIs. The 32-year-old player has had at least 21 homers in each season since 2016, excluding the shortened 2020 campaign.

Suarez, who was an All-Star in 2018, will fill the position of need for the Diamondbacks. Veteran Evan Longoria became a free agent, Buddy Kennedy went to the St. Louis Cardinals through waivers, and the team traded Josh Rojas ahead of the trade deadline.

The Mariners, on the other hand, get out of Suarez’s contract, which pays him $11 million in 2024, while getting two useful players in return. Vargas is still a developmental player, having played just five games in relief this season and finishing the campaign with a 5.79 ERA and seven strikeouts. Zavala, on the other hand, has a .210 career batting average with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs.

The post Arizona Diamondbacks Acquire 3B Eugenio Suarez in a Trade With Mariners appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It’s gonna be pretty exciting,” the 21-year-old player said following the announcement. “I’m definitely going to try to enjoy it.” Upon returning to his hometown of Loma de Cabrera during the offseason, Rodriguez will be treated to a parade in his honor.

Rodriguez garnered much attention after hitting .284/.345/.509 this season, along with 28 home runs, the most for any rookie. In addition, Rodriguez assisted the Mariners to secure their first postseason spot since 2001 and thereby snap the longest active drought among the four major North American professional sports.

The Mariners signed Rodriguez out of the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2017 for $1.75 million. Originally viewed as a power-hitting corner outfielder, Rodriguez transformed himself into a five-tool center fielder. Thanks to his newfound versatility, Rodriguez excelled in the Mariners’ youth system before being selected for the team’s Opening Day roster this spring.

The post Seattle Mariners’ Rodriguez Named Rookie Of The Year appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Astros fell behind early on partly due to the struggles of their ace Justin Verlander with the Mariners holding a confident 7-3 lead throughout seven innings. Houston cut it to 7-5 in the eighth and then set the stage for their All-Star designated hitter Yordan Alvarez to try and steal this one from Seattle at the bottom of the ninth.

The Mariners sent out their Cy Young Award-winning lefty Robbie Ray to face Alvarez, but it made little difference. Alvarez launched Ray’s second pitch into the seats, scoring a three-run walk-off homer to give Houston an unlikely win.

“I think it’s one of the most special moments that I’ve had in my career, having [my parents] there, and even for just the city of Houston,” Alvarez said after the game. “They know that we’re a team that never gives up. So just being able to get that hit right there was one of the most special moments of my career.”

In the second ALDS matchup, the New York Yankees have beaten the Cleveland Guardians 1-4 to take the lead. In the National League’s part of the bracket, the Philadelphia Phillies won Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves, while the LA Dodgers also have a lead in the series against the San Diego Padres.

The post Yordan Alvarez Hits a 3-Run Homer to Give Astros ALDS Lead Over Mariners appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Mariners had to work hard to get their playoff-clinching win. Unable to score after the top of the second inning, the teams entered tied 1-1- in the bottom of the ninth before Cal Raleigh homered Domingo Acevedo’s pitch to kickstart a celebration in Seattle.

“I remember the moment when I knew it was fair and looking at the team and everybody’s jumping. It was just crazy,” Raleigh said after the game.

“It’s better than maybe what you could dream it to be,” Seattle manager Scott Servais added.

The Seattle Mariners made their last playoff appearance in 2001 when they won record-tying 116 regular season games. The Mariners were eliminated in the AL Championship Series that postseason and never returned until now. This is despite the fact they had eight above .500 seasons and won 90+ games three times.

The Mariners’ playoff drought of 21 years was not only the longest in MLB but also the longest in all four major American leagues. However, they still remain the only team that never made the World Series.

The post Mariners End the Longest Playoff Drought in the MLB appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Passan reports that the base of the contract represents an eight-year agreement that is worth $120 million and would keep Rodriguez in Seattle through the 2029 MLB season. After that, it gets interesting.

The Mariners will have a club option following the 2028 campaign that can extend the deal for another eight or ten years, depending on whether Rodriguez will meet certain thresholds. In not picked up, the player will get an option to opt-in for another five years, $90 million following the 2029 season, or to test free agency.

Julio Rodriguez initially joined the Mariners as an international free agent in 2017. After impressive performances in the minors, Rodriguez was promoted to the major league ahead of the 2022 campaign and was installed as the team’s starting center fielder.

Initially, Rodriguez struggled to find his footing in the MLB and went through April without a single homer. However, since then, he has been one of the best players in baseball. In 108 games this season, the 21-year-old is batting .269 while 20 homers and 64 RBIs. He also has 23 stolen bases.

The post Seattle Mariners Set to Lock Outfielder Julio Rodriguez on 18-Year, $470 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Santana signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals back in late 2020, reportedly worth $17.5 million. It’s been reported that they now agreed to send around $4.3 million to Seattle, leaving the Mariners to pay $1.5 million of the remainder of Santana’s contract.

Santana actually had a brief stint with the Mariners back in December 2018, but he didn’t stay there for too long. He was traded back to the Cleveland Indians ten days later, but the Mariners manager Scott Servais has spoken highly of him ever since.

“Every time I see Carlos, I joke with him about that, ‘You’re the favorite player I’ve ever managed.’ So he likes it and we have a good time with it. But obviously, he’s a tremendous clubhouse guy, really good teammate. Switch hitter. He gets on base as well as he ever has,” said Servais.

Following Santana’s exit, the Royals are promoting the newcomer Vinnie Pasquantino to the major leagues and including him in the active roster as their new first baseman.

Man, it’s a hot one.

We’ve acquired INF Carlos Santana and cash considerations from the Royals in exchange for RHP Wyatt Mills and minor league RHP William Fleming.

https://t.co/psuyT5Ojsn pic.twitter.com/QFfWP2VC3a

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 27, 2022

The post Kansas City Royals Trade First Baseman Carlos Santana to Seattle Mariners appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Montero played 17 games for the Rangers in 2020, serving as a closer for the better part of the campaign. He finished the season with eight saves while posting a 4.08 ERA and getting 19 strikeouts.

Seattle is hoping that Montero’s arrival can give depth to their bullpen, which ranked as one of the worst in the league. The team entered the offseason intending to address this issue, and general manager Jerry Dipoto believes getting the 30-year-old slinger is a step in the right direction.

“Rafael is a solid addition to our ongoing efforts to fortify the bullpen,” said Dipoto in a statement. “We see his outstanding stuff and quality performance since converting to a full-time reliever as impactful in our bullpen.”

Montero, who also suited up for NY Mets during his time in the majors, has a career 8-17 record with 4.93 ERA and 242 strikeouts.

The Rangers are also satisfied with the deal, since Jose Corniell could turn out to be a good pickup for them. Being just 17, Corniell has a lot of room to progress and make his mid-90s mph fastball even more dangerous.

The post Mariners Acquire Reliever Rafael Montero in Trade With Rangers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Flexen, who made the move to South Korea to the Doosan Bears after being let go by the Mets last offseason, shined as he became a fixture for his new team in the 2020 season. The 26-year-old slinger was the team’s best starter, putting up a 3.01 ERA along with 132 strikeouts in just 116 innings.

The California native’s foray into foreign baseball was enough to revive his career after he failed to impress with the Mets during parts of three seasons. Flexen was ineffective in the Majors, compiling a 8.07 ERA in just 27 games from 2017 to 2019.

It is still unclear how Seattle plans to use their newest pitcher. Flexen was primarily a reliever during his stints with the Mets, but transitioned to becoming a workhorse starter for the Doosan Bears in 2020.

The deal, valued at just over $4 million, is a low-risk move for the Mariners as they look to add valuable pieces to a pitching staff that has struggled to find both talent and consistency in recent years.

The post Mariners Sign P Chris Flexen to 2-Year Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Another thing that the two have in common is that they both suffered serious injuries that they had to overcome in their rookie seasons.

Mariners center fielder Kyle Lewis was the unanimous pick in the American League, despite missing a good part of the season with a serious knee injury.

The National League winner, Brewers pitcher Devin Williams, faced a serious elbow injury that forced him to change from being a starting pitcher to a reliever.

Known for his devastating change-up, the so-called “Airbender,” Williams was also named the NL Reliever of the Year. Relievers don’t usually win ROY honors, so Williams wasn’t a unanimous pick for the NL, but he did beat out Philadelphia Phillie’s third baseman Alec Bohm with a total of 14 first-place votes compared to Bohm’s nine.

Lewis became the first player since Mark McGwire in 1987 to lead his team in batting average, home runs, runs, and walks as a rookie. He was just as dynamic in the field, adding some incredible homer run robberies to his rookie season highlight reel.

The post Mariners Kyle Lewis, Brewers Devin Williams Named MLB Rookies of the Year appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to reports, the Mariners are going to be getting a yet-unnamed minor league prospect in return for Walker.

Walker has been on the move quite a bit, with the Blue Jays being his third team since 2019. Walker had Tommy John surgery in April 2018 and he is still in the process of getting his full arm strength back.

After playing one game with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he signed a one-year $2 million contract with the Mariners in early 2020. The trade is a good move for the Mariners, who are currently in a rebuild and far from contenders at this point.

Walker has been playing well this year. He has an ERA of 4.00 with 25 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. Even though the 28-year-old pitcher’s fastball is no longer what it once was before the surgery, he still averages a respectable speed of 93 MPH.

The Blue Jays are getting a pitcher that is going to solidify their rotation and potentially help them in the postseason. Toronto is currently ranked third in the American League East, which right now would be good enough for a wild card spot in the postseason.

The post Mariners Trade Pitcher Taijuan Walker to Blue Jays appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

As part of the trade, the Diamondbacks are sending right-hand pitcher Carlos Vargas and veteran catcher Seby Zavala to Seattle.

Speaking with reporters about the trade, Diamondbacks’ general manager Mike Hazen said that the move will give the team more stability on third base.

“It adds a little bit of stability at that spot,” Hazen said. “He’s a guy we’ve liked for a long time.”

Suarez played in all 162 games with the Mariners this past season, batting .232 with 22 home runs and 96 RBIs. The 32-year-old player has had at least 21 homers in each season since 2016, excluding the shortened 2020 campaign.

Suarez, who was an All-Star in 2018, will fill the position of need for the Diamondbacks. Veteran Evan Longoria became a free agent, Buddy Kennedy went to the St. Louis Cardinals through waivers, and the team traded Josh Rojas ahead of the trade deadline.

The Mariners, on the other hand, get out of Suarez’s contract, which pays him $11 million in 2024, while getting two useful players in return. Vargas is still a developmental player, having played just five games in relief this season and finishing the campaign with a 5.79 ERA and seven strikeouts. Zavala, on the other hand, has a .210 career batting average with 14 home runs and 54 RBIs.

The post Arizona Diamondbacks Acquire 3B Eugenio Suarez in a Trade With Mariners appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“It’s gonna be pretty exciting,” the 21-year-old player said following the announcement. “I’m definitely going to try to enjoy it.” Upon returning to his hometown of Loma de Cabrera during the offseason, Rodriguez will be treated to a parade in his honor.

Rodriguez garnered much attention after hitting .284/.345/.509 this season, along with 28 home runs, the most for any rookie. In addition, Rodriguez assisted the Mariners to secure their first postseason spot since 2001 and thereby snap the longest active drought among the four major North American professional sports.

The Mariners signed Rodriguez out of the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2017 for $1.75 million. Originally viewed as a power-hitting corner outfielder, Rodriguez transformed himself into a five-tool center fielder. Thanks to his newfound versatility, Rodriguez excelled in the Mariners’ youth system before being selected for the team’s Opening Day roster this spring.

The post Seattle Mariners’ Rodriguez Named Rookie Of The Year appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Astros fell behind early on partly due to the struggles of their ace Justin Verlander with the Mariners holding a confident 7-3 lead throughout seven innings. Houston cut it to 7-5 in the eighth and then set the stage for their All-Star designated hitter Yordan Alvarez to try and steal this one from Seattle at the bottom of the ninth.

The Mariners sent out their Cy Young Award-winning lefty Robbie Ray to face Alvarez, but it made little difference. Alvarez launched Ray’s second pitch into the seats, scoring a three-run walk-off homer to give Houston an unlikely win.

“I think it’s one of the most special moments that I’ve had in my career, having [my parents] there, and even for just the city of Houston,” Alvarez said after the game. “They know that we’re a team that never gives up. So just being able to get that hit right there was one of the most special moments of my career.”

In the second ALDS matchup, the New York Yankees have beaten the Cleveland Guardians 1-4 to take the lead. In the National League’s part of the bracket, the Philadelphia Phillies won Game 1 against the Atlanta Braves, while the LA Dodgers also have a lead in the series against the San Diego Padres.

The post Yordan Alvarez Hits a 3-Run Homer to Give Astros ALDS Lead Over Mariners appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

The Mariners had to work hard to get their playoff-clinching win. Unable to score after the top of the second inning, the teams entered tied 1-1- in the bottom of the ninth before Cal Raleigh homered Domingo Acevedo’s pitch to kickstart a celebration in Seattle.

“I remember the moment when I knew it was fair and looking at the team and everybody’s jumping. It was just crazy,” Raleigh said after the game.

“It’s better than maybe what you could dream it to be,” Seattle manager Scott Servais added.

The Seattle Mariners made their last playoff appearance in 2001 when they won record-tying 116 regular season games. The Mariners were eliminated in the AL Championship Series that postseason and never returned until now. This is despite the fact they had eight above .500 seasons and won 90+ games three times.

The Mariners’ playoff drought of 21 years was not only the longest in MLB but also the longest in all four major American leagues. However, they still remain the only team that never made the World Series.

The post Mariners End the Longest Playoff Drought in the MLB appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Passan reports that the base of the contract represents an eight-year agreement that is worth $120 million and would keep Rodriguez in Seattle through the 2029 MLB season. After that, it gets interesting.

The Mariners will have a club option following the 2028 campaign that can extend the deal for another eight or ten years, depending on whether Rodriguez will meet certain thresholds. In not picked up, the player will get an option to opt-in for another five years, $90 million following the 2029 season, or to test free agency.

Julio Rodriguez initially joined the Mariners as an international free agent in 2017. After impressive performances in the minors, Rodriguez was promoted to the major league ahead of the 2022 campaign and was installed as the team’s starting center fielder.

Initially, Rodriguez struggled to find his footing in the MLB and went through April without a single homer. However, since then, he has been one of the best players in baseball. In 108 games this season, the 21-year-old is batting .269 while 20 homers and 64 RBIs. He also has 23 stolen bases.

The post Seattle Mariners Set to Lock Outfielder Julio Rodriguez on 18-Year, $470 Million Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Santana signed a two-year contract with the Kansas City Royals back in late 2020, reportedly worth $17.5 million. It’s been reported that they now agreed to send around $4.3 million to Seattle, leaving the Mariners to pay $1.5 million of the remainder of Santana’s contract.

Santana actually had a brief stint with the Mariners back in December 2018, but he didn’t stay there for too long. He was traded back to the Cleveland Indians ten days later, but the Mariners manager Scott Servais has spoken highly of him ever since.

“Every time I see Carlos, I joke with him about that, ‘You’re the favorite player I’ve ever managed.’ So he likes it and we have a good time with it. But obviously, he’s a tremendous clubhouse guy, really good teammate. Switch hitter. He gets on base as well as he ever has,” said Servais.

Following Santana’s exit, the Royals are promoting the newcomer Vinnie Pasquantino to the major leagues and including him in the active roster as their new first baseman.

Man, it’s a hot one.

We’ve acquired INF Carlos Santana and cash considerations from the Royals in exchange for RHP Wyatt Mills and minor league RHP William Fleming.

https://t.co/psuyT5Ojsn pic.twitter.com/QFfWP2VC3a

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 27, 2022

The post Kansas City Royals Trade First Baseman Carlos Santana to Seattle Mariners appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Montero played 17 games for the Rangers in 2020, serving as a closer for the better part of the campaign. He finished the season with eight saves while posting a 4.08 ERA and getting 19 strikeouts.

Seattle is hoping that Montero’s arrival can give depth to their bullpen, which ranked as one of the worst in the league. The team entered the offseason intending to address this issue, and general manager Jerry Dipoto believes getting the 30-year-old slinger is a step in the right direction.

“Rafael is a solid addition to our ongoing efforts to fortify the bullpen,” said Dipoto in a statement. “We see his outstanding stuff and quality performance since converting to a full-time reliever as impactful in our bullpen.”

Montero, who also suited up for NY Mets during his time in the majors, has a career 8-17 record with 4.93 ERA and 242 strikeouts.

The Rangers are also satisfied with the deal, since Jose Corniell could turn out to be a good pickup for them. Being just 17, Corniell has a lot of room to progress and make his mid-90s mph fastball even more dangerous.

The post Mariners Acquire Reliever Rafael Montero in Trade With Rangers appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Flexen, who made the move to South Korea to the Doosan Bears after being let go by the Mets last offseason, shined as he became a fixture for his new team in the 2020 season. The 26-year-old slinger was the team’s best starter, putting up a 3.01 ERA along with 132 strikeouts in just 116 innings.

The California native’s foray into foreign baseball was enough to revive his career after he failed to impress with the Mets during parts of three seasons. Flexen was ineffective in the Majors, compiling a 8.07 ERA in just 27 games from 2017 to 2019.

It is still unclear how Seattle plans to use their newest pitcher. Flexen was primarily a reliever during his stints with the Mets, but transitioned to becoming a workhorse starter for the Doosan Bears in 2020.

The deal, valued at just over $4 million, is a low-risk move for the Mariners as they look to add valuable pieces to a pitching staff that has struggled to find both talent and consistency in recent years.

The post Mariners Sign P Chris Flexen to 2-Year Deal appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Another thing that the two have in common is that they both suffered serious injuries that they had to overcome in their rookie seasons.

Mariners center fielder Kyle Lewis was the unanimous pick in the American League, despite missing a good part of the season with a serious knee injury.

The National League winner, Brewers pitcher Devin Williams, faced a serious elbow injury that forced him to change from being a starting pitcher to a reliever.

Known for his devastating change-up, the so-called “Airbender,” Williams was also named the NL Reliever of the Year. Relievers don’t usually win ROY honors, so Williams wasn’t a unanimous pick for the NL, but he did beat out Philadelphia Phillie’s third baseman Alec Bohm with a total of 14 first-place votes compared to Bohm’s nine.

Lewis became the first player since Mark McGwire in 1987 to lead his team in batting average, home runs, runs, and walks as a rookie. He was just as dynamic in the field, adding some incredible homer run robberies to his rookie season highlight reel.

The post Mariners Kyle Lewis, Brewers Devin Williams Named MLB Rookies of the Year appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to reports, the Mariners are going to be getting a yet-unnamed minor league prospect in return for Walker.

Walker has been on the move quite a bit, with the Blue Jays being his third team since 2019. Walker had Tommy John surgery in April 2018 and he is still in the process of getting his full arm strength back.

After playing one game with the Arizona Diamondbacks, he signed a one-year $2 million contract with the Mariners in early 2020. The trade is a good move for the Mariners, who are currently in a rebuild and far from contenders at this point.

Walker has been playing well this year. He has an ERA of 4.00 with 25 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. Even though the 28-year-old pitcher’s fastball is no longer what it once was before the surgery, he still averages a respectable speed of 93 MPH.

The Blue Jays are getting a pitcher that is going to solidify their rotation and potentially help them in the postseason. Toronto is currently ranked third in the American League East, which right now would be good enough for a wild card spot in the postseason.

The post Mariners Trade Pitcher Taijuan Walker to Blue Jays appeared first on yoursportspot.com.