Leonys Martin thanks Seattle after Mariners trade him to Cubs
Aug 31, 2017, 11:08 PM
Leonys Martin was sent to the Cubs from the Mariners in a trade Thursday night. (AP)
(AP)
In less than two seasons, Leonys Martin left an indelible impression on the Seattle Mariners fan base.
It seems the feeling is mutual.
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The Mariners traded the energetic outfielder to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night for a player to be named later or cash considerations, and shortly after the team sent out a tweet thanking him for his contributions along with a GIF of one of his memorable walkoff home runs in 2016.
All the best, @leonys27martin. Thanks for the fun, the energy, and the memories. pic.twitter.com/AiYFbTGbiq
— Mariners (@Mariners) September 1, 2017
Not long after, Martin himself retweeted the post, then responded to the organization and city of Seattle.
Thank you for the opportunity. I enjoyed my time in Seattle.
— leonys martin (@leonys27martin) September 1, 2017
One of the big acquisitions of general manager Jerry Dipoto’s first offseason with the Mariners, Martin had a strong start to his tenure with the organization, hitting .262 with nine home runs and 20 RBIs to go along with his usual above-average defense in center field in his first 44 games with the team. The Cuban native who had a harrowing journey to America quickly became a favorite both to fans and in the clubhouse thanks to his constant chatter in the dugout and infectious smile.
This year was much more of a struggle for Martin, however, as he quickly found himself playing for Triple-A Tacoma after changes to his hitting approach contributed to a rough start to the season. He did eventually return to the Mariners in late July, even homering in his first game back, but returned to Tacoma in late August.
The Martin trade was just one of several big deals on Thursday in baseball, which was the last day teams could add players that would be eligible to be included on their postseason rosters. The Houston Astros pulled off a blockbuster deal to get Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander, while the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – one of the teams the Mariners are battling in the American League Wild Card race – picked up both Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton.
