Mariners acquire Leake from Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals may have given up hope on making the postseason, but the Seattle Mariners still appear to be going for it.

Seattle announced the acquisition of right-hander Mike Leake from St. Louis on Wednesday.

"Mike gives us an experienced starter that will help us as we navigate our way toward a playoff spot this season," Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "As one of the most durable starters over most of the last decade, he’ll be a valuable addition for not just the near future, but for seasons to come."

The Mariners also acquired cash considerations and international slot money for the current signing period in exchange for minor-league infielder Rayder Ascanio.

"It’s been a whirlwind, but it’s nice to be coming to a new team with a fresh start," Leake told MLB.com's Greg Johns, according to Jenifer Langosch. "They decided to go younger. It’s not a good feeling when you’re leaving, but it’s exciting to move on."

St. Louis is sending about $17 million to Seattle over a multi-year period, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Leake has three years and a guaranteed $53 million left on his contract after this season.

By acquiring Leake prior to Sept. 1, he's eligible to pitch in the playoffs should the Mariners make it.

After getting off to an impressive start to the year, posting a 3-1 record with a 1.35 ERA in April, the 29-year-old is now 7-12 with a 4.21 ERA in 26 starts across 154 innings.

Opposing hitters own a .375 average against Leake in August, during which he has an 8.88 ERA.

Ascanio, 21, is a Venezuelan who didn't rank among the Mariners top 30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. The youngster was hitting .220/.296/.380 at Single-A Clinton.

At 66-67, the Mariners are just three games back of the second AL wild-card spot. Meanwhile, the Cardinals sit five games back of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and 5.5 games out of the second wild-card position.