Mariners, Diamondbacks swap Walker, Segura in 5-player deal
The Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks completed the winter's first blockbuster deal Wednesday, getting together on a five-player trade.
Arizona acquired right-hander Taijuan Walker and infielder Ketel Marte in exchange for infielder Jean Segura, outfield prospect Mitch Haniger, and young left-hander Zac Curtis.
Walker, perhaps the most notable name, is a former Mariners first-round pick who just completed his second full major-league season. The 24-year-old posted a 4.22 ERA and struck out just over eight batters per nine innings across 25 starts, but missed time in July due to issues with his foot. In October, Walker underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his ankle; he's been rehabbing since, and is expected to be ready for spring training.
DIAMONDBACKS' PROJECTED 2016 ROTATION
| Pitcher | IP | ERA | WHIP | K | BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zack Greinke (RH) | 158.2 | 4.37 | 1.273 | 134 | 41 |
| Taijuan Walker (RH) | 134.1 | 4.22 | 1.236 | 119 | 37 |
| Robbie Ray (LH) | 174.1 | 4.90 | 1.468 | 218 | 71 |
| Patrick Corbin (LH) | 155.2 | 5.15 | 1.561 | 131 | 66 |
| Archie Bradley (RH) | 141.2 | 5.02 | 1.560 | 143 | 67 |
(All stats from 2016; courtesy Baseball-Reference)
Walker, who'd been the subject of trade rumors at the 2016 deadline, will be arbitration eligible for the first time in 2017, and is not set to become a free agent until 2021.
Segura experienced a renaissance in his lone season with the Diamondbacks after being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers last offseason. Shifting to second base - a position he never played in the majors before 2016 - from his natural shortstop position, the 26-year-old posted career highs across the board, slashing .319/.368/.499 and adding 20 homers, 33 stolen bases, 41 doubles, 39 walks, and an NL-leading 203 hits over 153 games as Arizona's leadoff hitter.
"We really wanted to upgrade the way things worked at the top of our lineup and Jean Segura does this," Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.
It's likely that Segura, who generally rates as a below-average defender, will return to shortstop in Seattle given the presence of Robinson Cano at the keystone position. Segura is under control through 2019.
Curtis, 24, jumped from Single-A to the majors in April after averaging over 19 strikeouts per nine innings in just eight California League contests. The former sixth-round pick of the Diamondbacks posted a 6.75 ERA and struck out 10 while issuing 13 walks in 21 major-league appearances split over two stints. Left-handed hitters were particularly effective against him at the big-league level, posting a 1.046 OPS in 37 plate appearances, compared to righties recording a .627 OPS in 30 PAs.
Haniger was ranked as Arizona's No. 21 prospect by MLB Pipeline. A first-round pick of Milwaukee, he posted a .999 OPS, hit 25 homers, and stole 12 bases across 129 games split between Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. The 25-year-old got the call to the majors on Aug. 16, and hit .229/.309/.404 with five homers and a pair of doubles in 123 big-league plate appearances.
Dipoto said that the Mariners see Haniger as a "high-ceiling prospect who projects to join our outfield as soon as next season."
Marte hit .259/.287/.323 with just one homer in 119 games as the Mariners' starting shortstop in 2016. The 2017 season will be the 23-year-old's second full big-league campaign.
To make room on its 40-man roster, Seattle designated switch-pitcher Pat Venditte for assignment.