Mariners deal Su¨¢rez to D-backs for Zavala, Vargas
SEATTLE -- The Mariners¡¯ Hot Stove season moved beyond a simmer on Wednesday morning when the club executed a trade with the D-backs that sent Eugenio Suárez to Arizona in exchange for backup catcher Seby Zavala and promising reliever Carlos Vargas.
In a corresponding move, right-hander Ryan Jensen was designated for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster, which remains full.
TRADE DETAILS
Mariners receive: RHP Carlos Vargas, C Seby Zavala
D-backs receive: 3B Eugenio Su¨¢rez
The move frees up the $11,285,715 that Su¨¢rez, 32, will earn in 2024, and the $2 million buyout on the $15 million team option that he would have been due in 2025.
It also paves the way for Luis Ur¨ªas, who Seattle acquired on Friday from the Red Sox, to become the everyday third baseman, according to a source familiar with the club¡¯s thinking. Ur¨ªas, who is coming off an injury-plagued down season after two productive years in Milwaukee, was expected to be non-tendered by Boston before the deal manifested.
In an offseason where the Mariners¡¯ personnel desires have been more ambiguous than in years past, the one prevailing desire has been their intention to steer away from strikeouts and towards contact. It was a large part in why Teoscar Hern¨¢ndez was not extended a qualifying offer, along with his expensive cost, and Su¨¢rez has been just as prone to swing-and-miss. Those two ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, in strikeout rate last season among 133 qualified hitters, contributing to the Mariners finishing with MLB¡¯s second-highest K rate, at 25.6%.
¡°I heard some rumors earlier this month, but I understand the game,¡± Su¨¢rez said in a phone interview with MLB.com. ¡°I understand the business and all that stuff. For me, it¡¯s a heartbreaker, but I have appreciated everything that Seattle has done for me -- all the fans.¡±
Su¨¢rez, who immediately blossomed into a clubhouse and fan favorite after being acquired from Cincinnati ahead of 2022, is coming off a down year offensively, in which he slashed .232/.323/.391 (.714 OPS) with 22 homers after clubbing 31 in each of the previous two seasons. His value still shined through a glove that was among the best in the American League and that he played in all 162 games.
¡°It¡¯s going to be hard,¡± Su¨¢rez said. ¡°I made great relationships with J.P. [Crawford], Ty [France], Julio [Rodr¨ªguez] -- everybody in the clubhouse. I¡¯m going to miss those guys a lot. It¡¯s hard for me to say goodbye, but like I said, I understand the game and I understand the business.¡±
As for Vargas, 24, the Mariners are bullish on his upside as a power arm that averaged 99.4 mph and topped out at 101.3 mph over five outings upon making Arizona¡¯s Opening Day roster. He was optioned on April 12 and spent the rest of the season at Triple-A Reno, where his surface level numbers were alarming -- a 7.02 ERA, .860 OPS against, 17% strikeout rate and 15.1% walk rate -- albeit in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
The club is clearly banking on his velocity potential and 59% ground-ball rate at Reno transforming him from an upside project into a legitimate reliever. He also has one Minor League option remaining and is under club control for six seasons.
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And for Zavala, 30, the Mariners believe they have more clarity with their catching depth, another pointed offseason objective. A source familiar with the club¡¯s thinking indicated that adding Zavala all but ends the Mariners¡¯ efforts to re-sign veteran Tom Murphy.
Zavala appeared in seven games with Arizona after being claimed off waivers on Sept. 6 from the White Sox, with whom he spent parts of four seasons beginning in 2019. Over 514 career plate appearances, he¡¯s slashed .210/.275/.347 (.622 OPS) and been worth 72 wRC+ (league average is 100).
He¡¯s also been prone to swing-and-miss, with a 35.8% career K rate, but the Mariners view his value more defensively. Zavala graded among MLB¡¯s best defensive catchers in 2023 with plus-six defensive runs saved and ranked among the top 25% of the league in blocks above average and framing, per Baseball Savant.
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Zavala is out of Minor League options, meaning he¡¯ll need to be on the Opening Day roster or risk being traded or exposed to outright waivers. The Mariners¡¯ optionable catcher is Blake Hunt, who they acquired earlier this month from Tampa Bay.
¡°Adding Seby and Carlos is another step toward building the type of deep roster that is required at the Major League level,¡± Dipoto said in the statement. ¡°Seby is an experienced catcher with excellent defensive skills who will team with Cal [Raleigh] behind the plate. And Carlos is a young reliever with the type of ¡®big stuff¡¯ that our staff has done a wonderful job developing over the years.¡±
Wednesday¡¯s deal is the second of significance in the past four months between these clubs, along with the Trade Deadline transaction that sent Paul Sewald to Arizona in exchange for Josh Rojas, Dominic Canzone and Ryan Bliss.