Cincinnati Reds Ship Winker, Suarez to Seattle Mariners
Cue the fire sale for the Cincinnati Reds. After giving away Wade Miley on waivers, trading defensive stalwart Tucker Barnhart and offboarding Sonny Gray, the Reds have struck another deal. In somewhat surprising news, they have now traded Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez to the Seattle Mariners. In a sad turn of events, the Reds continue to shed payroll, and two of their best players have become the latest casualties. The Reds will receive Justin Dunn, Jake Fraley, and Brandon Williamson in return for the two former All-Stars.
Trade Details
Last season, Winker was amidst his best season of his career until a thoracic muscle injury shut him down in late August. He turned the corner both offensively and defensively and looked like he had umped right into his prime years. Winker finished the season hitting .305 with 24 home runs and 71 RBI. Suarez, on the other hand, had his worst offensive season in his career. Two years after mashing 49 homers, he finished with a .198 average, 31 home runs, and 79 RBI.
Jeff Passan was the first to break the news that the Reds were sending two of their coveted sluggers to the West Coast. Right handed pitcher Justin Dunn will go to the Reds. In 2021, he posted 50 1/3 innings pitched with a 3.75 ERA. He is a former first round pick of the Mets in 2016, but remains largely unproven in the Major Leagues so far. Jake Fraley will also make the move to the Queen City. The fleet footed outfielder is known mostly for his glove and in 78 games last season posted a .210/.352/.359 slash line at the plate. Brandon Williamson has logged all of 113 2/3 innings on the bump in the minors combined, where he has a a 4-6 record and a 3.25 ERA.
BREAKING: The Seattle Mariners are finalizing a trade to acquire All-Star outfielder Jesse Winker from the Cincinnati Reds, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2022
Wrap Up
This means one thing for the Cincinnati Reds. They are tearing it down to the screws and rebuilding. Seattle, on the other hand, gets a massive upgrade to replace the hole left by Kyle Seager’s retirement. There is one player to be named later, but that player will not be known for a while. This is one of the sad days of the Cincinnati Reds’ history, since they have not won a playoff series since 1995. The Mariners, however, will attempt to make it to the playoffs for the first time since 2001 after being so close in 2021. Both teams have yet to make the deal official, but it is in place and ready to go. The Cincinnati Reds will look completely different come Opening Day. Whether it be for better or worse, we have have to let that play out on the field.
Main Photo:
Players mentioned:
Wade Miley, Tucker Barnhart, Sonny Gray, Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suarez, Justin Dunn, Jake Fraley, Brandon Williamson, Kyle Seager
