The Seattle Mariners stayed busy on Friday when they reportedly acquired outfielder Luke Raley in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
According to The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal, the Rays receive infielder José Caballero.
Rosenthal added the deal is not yet complete, so there could be other moving parts.
In second trade, Mariners would acquire outfielder Luke Raley from the Rays for infielder José Caballero, sources tell @TheAthletic. Deal not yet complete.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 5, 2024
Raley, 29, had a breakout season in 2023 after slashing .249/.333/.490 with 19 home runs and 49 RBI. He didn’t say he was adjusting anything with these advances in numbers, just consistency.
He suffered a freak injury on Sept. 16 during a collision at a team batting practice. Raley attempted to return, but lasted just two swings before saying his left arm lacked strength. He didn’t return for the Rays’ postseason run.
As far as the 27-year-old Caballero goes, the infielder appeared in 104 games with the Mariners in 2023, and finished with a .221/.343/.320 line, tallying 51 hits with 26 RBI and 26 stolen bases.
He’s a master on the bases and had a tendency to drive opposing teams crazy when he would get on the bag.
“I love how he goes about an at-bat,” Mariners manager Scott Servais told The Seattle Times last June. “This guy’s game awareness is well beyond his experience level at this level. He just understands what the game needs and calls for.”
About Jessica Kleinschmidt
Jess is a baseball fan with Reno, Nev. roots residing in the Bay Area. She is the host of "Short and to the Point" and is also a broadcaster with the Oakland A's Radio Network. She previously worked for MLB.com and NBC Sports Bay Area.