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| from Getty |
The Cleveland Indians have acquired 1B Carlos Santana, 1B/OF Jake Bauers and traded DH Edwin Encarnacion to the Seattle Mariners in a three team trade. The Tampa Bay Rays, who traded Bauers, received 3B Yandy Diaz and RHP Cole Sulser in the deal.
For the Indians, they wanted to get rid of Encarnacion\’s contract, but they also take on Santana\’s deal. It isn\’t like Encarnacion was worthless, he hit over 30 home runs in his two seasons in Clevland. I wouldn\’t understand the trade for them if they didn\’t get Bauers, but they did. Bauers can play first if Santana is playing DH, or right field. They give up Diaz, a backup infielder, as well. Santana also spent the majority of his career with Cleveland.
Santana, 32, had a .229 batting average, with 24 homers and 86 RBIs in 679 Plate Appearances in 2018 for the Philadelphia Phillies. The best year of his career came in 2016 with the Indians, when he had a batting average of .259, with 34 home runs and 87 RBIs. In his MLB career with the Phillies and Indians, Santana has a .247 batting average, with 198 home runs and 673 RBIs in 5461 PA.
Bauers, 23, debuted with the Rays in 2018 with a .201 batting average, 11 home runs, 48 RBIs and six stolen bases in 388 Plate Appearances.
For the Mariners, I don\’t understand this trade. They get rid of Santana\’s contract, but take on Encarnacion\’s. I think it could be because Encarnacion only has one more year left on his contract. They could have at least gotten a prospect.
Encarnacion, who will be 36 by the start of 2018, hit .246 with 32 home runs and 107 RBIs in 579 Plate Appearances in 2018. The best year of his career came in 2012 with the Toronto Blue Jays, when he had a .280 batting average, 42 home runs and 110 RBIs in 644 Plate Appearances. In his career for the Indians, Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds, Encarnacion has a batting average of .264, 380 RBIs and 1156 RBIs in 7459 Plate Appearances.
For the Rays, they give up a young first baseman for a farm arm and a depth infielder. Confused? Me too. I honestly have nothing else to say here.
Diaz, 27, had a .312 batting average with one homer and 15 RBIs in 120 Plate Appearances for the Indians in 2018. In his MLB career, all for the Indians, Diaz has a .283 batting average, that one homer and 28 RBIs in 299 Plate Appearances.
Sulser, 28, had a 3.86 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 95 strikeouts in 60.2 innings for AA Akron and AAA Columbus in 2018.
CarterHud 