The Seattle Mariners had a tough night on Tuesday, as they suffered three losses in one night. First, the team announced that manager Scott Servais and general manager Jerry Dipoto were both out of their positions. Then, the Mariners lost two games to the Oakland Athletics, with the first game being a 7-3 loss and the second being a 5-4 loss.
The biggest news of the night, however, was the departure of infielder/outfielder Dee Gordon and reliever Anthony Swarzak. The Mariners traded Gordon and Swarzak to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for catcher Omar Navaez and infielder/outfielder David Rodriguez.
The trade of Gordon and Swarzak was a bit of a surprise, as Gordon had been a key part of the Mariners’ lineup since being acquired from the Miami Marlins in 2017. He had been batting .277 with five home runs and 24 RBIs this season. Swarzak had been a reliable arm out of the bullpen, posting a 3.00 ERA in 20 appearances this season.
In return, the Mariners received Navaez, who is hitting .250 with three home runs and 16 RBIs in his rookie season with the Cubs. Rodriguez is also a rookie, hitting .167 with two home runs and six RBIs in limited action with the Cubs this season.
The Mariners hope that Navaez and Rodriguez can help fill the void left by Gordon and Swarzak, but it remains to be seen if they can make an impact in Seattle. It’s clear that the Mariners are in the midst of a rebuild, and this trade is just one step in that process.
The Mariners will look to rebound from their three losses on Wednesday when they take on the Athletics again. It will be interesting to see how Navaez and Rodriguez fit into the lineup, and if they can help the Mariners turn things around.
