The Seattle Mariners bolstered their pitching staff by acquiring hard-throwing reliever Gregory Santos in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Santos, a 24-year-old right-hander, had an impressive season with the White Sox in 2023, posting a 3.39 ERA, a 2-2 record, and recording five saves in 60 appearances. He will join Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz at the back end of the Mariners’ bullpen.
This move is part of the Mariners’ active offseason, following their third-place finish in the AL West last year with an 88-74 record. In recent transactions, they reacquired outfielder Mitch Haniger in a trade with the San Francisco Giants and acquired infielder Jorge Polanco in a deal with the Minnesota Twins.
To secure Santos, the Mariners traded reliever Justin Topa to the Twins. The addition of Santos addresses the opening in their bullpen, providing depth and firepower to their relief corps.
In exchange for Santos, the White Sox received right-hander Prelander Berroa, outfielder Zach DeLoach, and the No. 69 pick in the upcoming 2024 draft. Chicago also designated right-hander Lane Ramsey for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. White Sox General Manager Chris Getz expressed satisfaction with the trade, emphasizing the acquisition of controllable players and a draft pick to strengthen the team’s future.
In a separate deal, the White Sox acquired outfielder Dominic Fletcher from the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-hander Cristian Mena. This move adds depth to Chicago’s outfield, with Fletcher having major league experience and DeLoach being viewed as a player with significant potential.
DeLoach, a 25-year-old second-round pick in the 2020 draft, showcased his skills in Triple-A Tacoma last year, batting .286 with 23 home runs and 88 RBIs in 138 games. Fletcher, a 26-year-old second-rounder from the 2019 draft, made his major league debut in 2023, hitting .301 in 28 games with the Diamondbacks.
The departure of Santos from the White Sox leaves a question mark at the closer position, and Getz acknowledged that trade offers for Dylan Cease, their ace right-hander, are being considered. Cease had a mixed performance in 2023, going 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA in 33 starts but showcased impressive strikeout numbers with 214 in 177 innings.
Reflecting on the tumultuous 2023 season, where the White Sox finished fourth in the AL Central with a 61-101 record, Getz, who was promoted to GM in August, remains focused on improving the team. He emphasized ongoing discussions about potential moves, including the possibility of trading Cease if it benefits the organization in the long run.
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