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It's been a busy Friday for Jerry Dipoto and the Seattle Mariners. The club pulled off a series of moves with the latest being the acquisition of outfielder Luke Raley from the Tampa Bay Rays. The M's sent infielder Jose Caballero to the Rays in exchange for the 29-year-old slugger.
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Luke Raley enjoyed a true breakout season last year with the Tampa Bay Rays, setting new career highs across the board. The newest member of the Seattle Mariners hit 19 home runs and 49 RBIs, while also adding 14 stolen bases. He also posted a career-high .249 batting average.
This breakout season is something that Seattle fans are hoping becomes the norm for the former 7th-round draft pick. Many fans believe that acquiring Raley in exchange for Caballero was a massive victory for Seattle as the infielder they sent out in the trade failed to impress last season.
Caballero appeared in 104 games last season for Seattle, producing a paltry .221 batting average with four home runs and 26 RBIs. Although those numbers leave much to be desired, the 26-year-old Panamania infielder was able to rack up 26 stolen bases.
Even though the Tampa Bay Rays may see something in Jose Caballero, many Seattle fans believe that their club pulled off a steal by landing Luke Raley in a one-for-one deal.
Another benefit for the Seattle Mariners is the fact that Luke Raley will remain under team control until 2029. The versatile outfielder will not only provide the team with some roster security but also provide the team with some financial flexibility so that the team can make future moves.
Fans believe that the Seattle Mariners are planning something big this offseason
Although the acquisition of Luke Raley could be seen as relatively minor, the trade came on the heels of a larger move. Earlier on Friday, the team sent Robbie Ray to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani.
The trade helped the Seattle Mariners remove the remaining $73,000,000 remaining on Robbie Ray's current contract. The pair of moves have some fans believing that the club might be looking to make a bigger splash. One of the free agents heavily linked to the team is reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, who was born in Seattle.
