Mariners trade Ray to Giants for Haniger, DeSclafani; get Raley from Rays

The Seattle Mariners have reshaped their lineup with two trades on Friday.

The first was a big one, with Seattle sending 2021 American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray to the San Francisco Giants for former Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger and right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani and cash considerations. That deal was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan and has since been made official by the Mariners.

In a second deal, the M’s acquires outfielder/first baseman Luke Raley from the Tampa Bay Rays for infielder Jose Caballero. That deal was first reported by FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal and is now official.

The San Francisco Trade

Ray signed with the Mariners ahead of the 2022 season and pitched well in his first year in Seattle, throwing 189 innings with a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts. He made just one start in 2023 before needing Tommy John surgery, and was expected to miss about half of the 2024 season. He’s entering the third year of a five-year, $115 million deal, and Ray has an opt-out after this season.

Haniger, 33, spent six years with the Mariners after being acquired from Arizona.

A 2018 All-Star, Haniger was a big part of the Mariners’ lineup when healthy, but struggled to stay on the field due to various injuries. He signed with San Francisco last offseason, posting a .631 OPS in just 61 games due to a broken arm suffered from a hit-by-pitch.

Haniger is signed through the end of 2024 and has a player option for 2025.

DeSclafani, 33, is a 10-year MLB veteran who has spent time with San Francisco, Cincinnati and Milwaukee. He owns a career 4.20 ERA in 180 games (169 starts) and had a 4.88 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) for the Giants last year.

DeSclafani is a free agent after 2024.

“As we continue to build out our team for 2024 and beyond, we feel this trade accomplishes a couple of our objectives,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a press release. “In Mitch, we get a player we know well, and hold in very high regard, as another piece for our outfield, while Anthony – who can start or pitch out of the ‘pen – gives us depth in our pitching staff. And the deal allows us to put the best team possible on the field from Opening Day on.

“I do want to thank Robbie for his time in Seattle. On the field and in the clubhouse, he was a key part of taking us to the postseason in 2022 and in allowing us to remain in the race down to the final days in 2023. He provided leadership to our young pitchers that will be felt here for years to come. We wish he and his family nothing but the best in San Francisco.”

The Seattle Mariners-Rays trade

Haniger isn’t the only potential everyday outfielder the Mariners acquired on Friday.

Raley, 29, has played in parts of three seasons at the MLB level for the Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 2023, Raley played a career-high 118 games and slashed .249/.333/.490 (.824 OPS) with 19 home runs and 49 RBI in 406 plate appearances. Raley also stole 14 bases.

Raley played 36 games in right field, 35 at first base, 18 at DH, 18 in left field and 11 in center field last season.

“We’re thrilled to add Luke Raley to the middle of our lineup as a left-handed bat with positional versatility,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said after the trade was announced. “Offensively, Luke brings power paired with game-changing baserunning and instincts. He’s also a solid defender across multiple positions, adding further flexibility to our lineup on a nightly basis.”

Caballero, 27, made his MLB debut for the Mariners last year and served as a second baseman for most of the season. He slashed .221/.343/.320 (.663 OPS) in 104 games while also stealing 26 bases in 29 attempts.

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