Prolonged success is something neither the Seattle Mariners or Arizona Diamondbacks are accustomed to. That looks to change as the Mariners went out and made a splash, acquiring 2011 Rookie of the Year runner up and 2012 All-Star outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo and pitcher Vidal Nuno from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for catcher Wellington Castillo, infielder Jack Reinheimer, outfielder Gaby Guerrero and pitcher Dominic Leone.
Seattle Mariners Acquire Mark Trumbo from Arizona
Trumbo will provide a boost to the Mariners lineup, who have seen All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano struggle to muster much of anything offensively. Trumbo’s slash line sits at .259/.299/.506 and he has added nine home runs, 23 runs batted in and 10 doubles this season. Comparatively, Cano is hitting .249/.291/.337 with only two home runs and 17 runs batted in so far. Cano’s struggles are cause for concern, but that’s not the focus.
The Mariners get a versatile player in Mark Trumbo, as he can play both first base and outfield, and will look to unseat Logan Morrison, who fills the same role. Morrison hitting .245/.322/.396 with six home runs, 14 runs batted in and four doubles. Morrison has started 50 of 52 games at first base so far, but in years past has seen time at left field, much like Trumbo.
If Trumbo bumps Morrison out of the lineup, which could happen quickly, Seattle could reap the benefits.
Looking at the other pieces, Vidal Nuno will most likely move to the Mariners rotation, which will bode well for them. He’s got a 1.88 ERA and is averaging 3.8 K/BB in 14.1 innings. Nuno has started 31 out of his 39 career games and averages nearly 7 innings per start, something that is less and less common.
The Diamondbacks get a backup catcher in Wellington Castillo as Tuffy Gosewich is done for the year with a torn ACL, in addition to a slew of prospects. It looks that they are continuing to rebuild by acquiring young assets.
Main Photo: Jun 2, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Mark Trumbo against the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field. The Diamondbacks defeated the Braves 7-6. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
