Jerry Dipoto’s initial response when asked if the Seattle Mariners would ever consider a “tear-it-down” model to rebuild was that something like that just doesn’t make a lot of sense. In almost the same breath he said players like Edwin Diaz are those you build around, not trade away.
“There’s no reason for us to start from scratch,” Dipoto said a day after the Mariners’ season ended. “But we do need to reassess where this roster is and take a look at not just 2019, but how we catch the teams that are in front of us.”
Fastforward to Monday and you’d be hard-pressed to say the Mariners have reassessed, reimagined, taken a step back or anything else Dipoto has coined this young offseason.
This is looking about as tear-it-down as teardowns get – and it’s happening at what has to be some sort of record rate.
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After all the sourced reports and speculation over the past week, the Mariners began their anticipated Monday frenzy by announced they have completed a blockbuster trade to send Diaz and Robinson Cano to the New York Mets as part of a seven-player deal.
Before either team had officially announced the move, outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic, the Mariners’ biggest prize in the deal, tweeted his excitement to join Seattle.
“I am beyond excited for this new opportunity to represent the city of Seattle and the Seattle Mariners organization!,” tweeted Kelenic, the No. 6 overall pick in this year’s draft. “Get ready Mariner Nation .. It’s time to bring a championship to Seattle.”
But this is the fourth major Mariners trade Dipoto has made in just over a month since the season officially ended. And the Dipoto trade tracker is expected to then tick up to five trades when a reported agreement to send All-Star shortstop Jean Segura to the Philadelphia Phillies is announced. That one is not yet official.
But will the last Mariner out of Safeco Field please turn off the lights?
They also reportedly sent $20 million in cash considerations to help offset the five years, $120 million remaining on the 36-year-old Cano’s contract.
The Mets scheduled an introductory press conference with Cano and Diaz for 11 a.m. Tuesday. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Cano will switch back to his No. 24 jersey. He wore No. 22 in Seattle to respect Ken Griffey Jr.’s retired No. 24.
In return, the Mariners will acquire 31-year-old outfielder Jay Bruce and 33-year-old left-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak to go with three prospects: Kelenic, right-hander Justin Dunn and right-handed reliever Gerson Bautista.
Bruce is a former three-time All-Star, but he hit .223 with nine home runs in 94 games this past season. The Mariners took on Bruce, Swarzak and their combined $36 million owed as contract swaps in exchange for Cano’s.
Kelenic, 19, and Dunn, 23, are both first-round draft picks and Kelenic was the top high school outfielder in this past draft. Bautista, 23, made his big-league debut this season and can throw 100 mph, though he’s had location struggles.
Kelenic was the No. 6 overall selection in June and started his pro career in the Gulf Coast League hitting .413 over his first 12 games and was promoted to short-season Single-A Kingsport. Some scouts have said he has superstar potential and at the least he’ll be an above-average outfielder.
Kelenic was the Mets’ No. 3 prospect, as ranked by Baseball America, and Dunn was ranked No. 5.
Dipoto released a statement Monday:
“This trade bolsters our player development system with the additions of Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, while also providing immediate impact to our Major League club in Jay Bruce, Anthony Swarzak and Gerson Bautista,” Dipoto said.
“We view Kelenic as a true 5-tool player with a very high ceiling. Dunn is another former first round draft pick, who we think has a bright future on our pitching staff. Bruce and Swarzak both bring proven production in the field and a veteran presence in our clubhouse. Bautista has demonstrated an impressive high-velocity pitch mix.”
The Mariners need Kelenic to pan out. If Dunn does, too, (he struck out 10.5 batters per nine innings over 15 starts in his promotion to Double-A this past year), the Mariners will win this trade.
That’s why Dipoto was willing to part with a superstar closer to go with Cano.
Diaz saved 57 games in 2018. Only one other closer in major-league history had more saves in one year (the Angels’ Francisco Rodriguez in 2008). But it was the way Diaz did it – with 124 strikeouts and a 1.96 ERA. Former Dodgers closer Eric Gagne is the only other pitcher to have at least 50 saves and 100 strikeouts in a season.
The Mariners went 66-0 in games Diaz appeared in. That’s ridiculous. He’s one of the biggest reasons the Mariners were able to win 89 games despite a minus-34 overall run differential (the Astros won the division with a plus-270 run differential).
They might have had to include Diaz in a deal if they were going to be able to trade Cano, who served an 80-game drug suspension this past season.
But Cano still batted .303 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI in the 80 games he played in his age-35 season. He’s signed through his age-40 season.
Over the course of his five years with the Mariners, after he signed a 10-year, $240 million contract to leave the Yankees after the 2013 season, Cano has hit .296/.353/.472. He was the All-Star Game MVP in 2017 and he’s been acquired by new Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen, who was Cano’s representative when he signed that mega Mariners deal.
As successful as Cano was in the middle of the lineup, mostly paired with fellow Dominican Nelson Cruz, the Mariners still failed to reach the playoffs. Now Cano is traded, Cruz is a free agent and the Mariners have gone 17 years without a playoff appearance.
And don’t expect them to break that streak any time soon. To go with All-Stars Diaz and Cano, the Mariners are also expected to announce Monday that All-Star shortstop Jean Segura is headed to the Phillies in a trade. Ace lefty James Paxton was dealt to the Yankees, catcher Mike Zunino and Guillermo Heredia were shipped to the Rays and right-handed reliever Alex Colome (Diaz’s standout setup reliever) is now with the White Sox.
Of the Mariners’ four All-Stars this past season, only outfielder Mitch Haniger is still on the roster.
And the season didn’t officially end until just over a month ago.
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