The all-important annual event has come, and the offseason can now begin in earnest: Seattle Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto has finalized a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Rays are sending centerfielder Mallex Smith to the Mariners in exchange for centerfielder Guillermo Heredia and catcher Mike Zunino. Each club has thrown in a minor-league player: outfielder Jake Fraley goes to Seattle and left-handed pitcher Michael Plassmeyer to Tampa, though neither is a particularly notable prospect. If Smith to Seattle sounds familiar—it’s happened before, however briefly. Dipoto acquired Smith for all of two hours in January 2017, when he picked him up from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Luiz Gohara.