May 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Logan Morrison (20) hits a walk off home run in the 11th inning against the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field. Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Mariners and Rays pulled off the first noteworthy trade of the offseason as they completed a six-player deal Thursday that sends infielder/outfielder Brad Miller, first baseman Logan Morrison and pitcher Danny Farquhar to Tampa Bay in exchange for pitchers Nathan Karns and C.J. Riefenhauser and minor league outfielder Boog Powell.
New Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto and new manager Scott Servais began the process of making over the roster, trading away three players who got significant playing time in 2015.
The Mariners’ key acquisition is Karns, who was 7-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 27 games, including 26 starts, this season as rookie. His season ended in early September because of forearm tightness.
Karns, 27, figures to move into the Mariners’ rotation immediately.
Riefenhauser, 25, was 1-0 with an ERA of 5.52 in 17 appearances this season.
Powell, a 22-year-old who is no relation to the former Baltimore Orioles star of the same name, batted .295 with three home runs and 18 stolen bases in 117 games between Double-A and Triple-A in 2015.
In Farquhar, the Rays acquired a 28-year-old reliever who was just 1-8 with a 5.12 ERA in 2015, but in 2014, he was 3-1 with a 2.66 ERA in 66 appearances.
Morrison, 28, hit .225 with 17 homers while playing in 146 games, while Miller, 26, hit .258 with 11 homers in 144 games. Miller started games at six positions this year.
