The San Diego Padres have traded one of their outfielders to the Seattle Mariners to help limit their surplus that now consists of Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, Will Venable and Rymer Liriano.
Seth Smith will join the Mariners in exchange for right-handed reliever Brandon Maurer, according to Shannon Drayer of 710 AM ESPN Seattle and ESPN's Jerry Crasnick. Smith fills an important need for the Mariners, who have been searching for a capable and experienced corner outfielder for the entire offseason.
The 32-year-old Smith will likely platoon in right field with Justin Ruggiano, who the Mariners acquired earlier this offseason in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. The two are no strangers to platooning, which is why the Mariners likely paired them together. Smith will earn $12.75 million over the next two seasons and also has a $7 million team option for 2017 or a $250,000 buyout.
Seattle managed to add another left-handed bat that owned a stat line of .266/.367/.440/.807 with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs in 136 games last season.
San Diego will receive the 24-year-old Maurer in the swap. Although the right-hander has made 21 starts in 60 games, he'll likely be used as a reliever with the Padres. As a starter, Maurer has a 4-12 record with a 6.62 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in 102 innings. He has had much more success as a reliever, compiling a 2-0 record with a 3.75 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 57 2/3 innings.
Maurer will now join a bullpen that ranked 2nd in ERA (2.73) last season and he'll battle for a spot during spring training. He's under club control through the 2019 season.
San Diego is likely to remain active on the trade market because they need to move some more of their outfielders and could be working on a deal to land Cole Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies.
