The Seattle Mariners have acquired the second baseman Kolten Wong from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for OF Jesse Winker and utility man Abraham Toro. The Mariners are also receiving $1.75 million in cash from the Brewers, most likely to help take on some of Wong’s contract.
It’s an interesting deal, as the Mariners have been known to be looking for middle infielders on the market, and now they have one. Wong had a decent 2022 season, slashing .251/.339/.430 respectively. He plays a pretty good second base and brings lots of leadership capabilities as well as playoff experience to a young Seattle team. Wong was a natural target for the Mariners, given their lack of an obvious starter at second base and their desire to add some balance to a lineup that skews a bit right-handed. He’ll give the M’s a steady presence, quite possibly atop the lineup, on the heels of the two best offensive seasons of his career. During his two years as a Brewer, Wong slashed a combined .262/.337/.439 with 29 home runs, 56 doubles, six triples and 29 steals.
Jesse Winker ultimately did not work out for the Mariners, since they acquired him last year in exchange for four prospects and was included with a “salary dump” player of Eugenio Suarez. Suarez ended up working out nicely, however, Winker hit just .219 with a -0.3 WAR. Toro was a nice defensive player but never got it going at the plate. The Mariners also have plenty of depth at the utility spot with Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty still on the roster.
Overall, this trade helps the Mariners in terms of offense and leadership. Wong, a longtime Cardinal, has lots of playoff experience and has been able to be productive in the league for quite some time now. He and J.P Crawford should work nicely up the middle for the Mariners next season. Expect another trade or signing from Seattle however, as this doesn’t look like the last piece of the puzzle for them to be serious title contenders.
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