The New York Yankees have reportedly acquired first baseman Edwin Encarnación from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a pitching prospect. The deal was first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN and Mark Feinsand of MLB Network. Encarnación leads the American League in home runs with twenty-one on the season.
Edwin Encarnación has been traded from the Seattle Mariners to the New York Yankees, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Encarnación currently leads the American League with 21 home runs. The Mariners’ teardown is in full bloom and the Yankees get another big bat.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 16, 2019
The Yankees have sent right-handed pitcher Juan Then to the Mariners. Then is a former Mariners prospect who was acquired by the Yankees in 2017. Then is now a nineteen-year-old prospect who will join the Mariners system. The Yankees did not send any other prospects back to the Mariners.
In addition to trading him, the Mariners will eat a good chunk of Encarnación‘s remaining salary on the season. Encarnación is still owed $11 Million to $12 million this season and has a $20 million option for 2020. The Tampa Bay Rays still owe the Mariners $2.5 Million from last winters three-team trade that sent him there.
In 2019, Encarnación has a .241/.356/.531 slash line with twenty-one home runs with forty-nine RBI for the Mariners.
Mariners General Manager Jerry DiPoto has committed to rebuilding, by trading Jay Bruce to the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this season. after this trade, the Mariners have announced that they will listen to offers for any and all players.
Following this trade, the Mariners will most likely have to move Dee Gordon next, he has plenty of upside for a speedy infielder who also has transformed into an outfielder.
