Rays Acquire Catcher Mike Zunino from Mariners

[Eye Black]

Per Ryan Divish...

 

Sources: The Mariners are working to finish a trade that would send catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia to the Rays in exchange for outfielder Mallex Smith. Deal could be finalized in the next day.

Per Ken Rosenthal...

 

Source confirms #Rays are in agreement with #Mariners on Zunino trade, pending a medical review. Per @RyanDivish, deal is Zunino and Guillermo Heredia to Rays for Mallex Smith. TB had acquired Smith from SEA as part of Drew Smyly trade in Jan. 2017.

 

More players involved as well, here is the MLB Trade Rumors link.

[Eye Black]

Most importantly I would assume this removes the Rays from the list of teams looking for a catcher upgrade this off-season.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Would Zunino have been an upgrade for us? He won the Wilson equivalent of the Gold Glove yesterday so I'm assuming his defense is stellar but had heard his bat was questionable.

[Outlander]

Zunino has power but very high strike out, similar to Keon Broxton. Had a great 2017 but hard to repeat with the high babip that year and his continued high strikeouts. I actually like Malex Smith a lot and think the Mariners did good here. Wish the Brewers got him as an outfielder that could play all three positions.

[JosephC]

I think the Mariners did really well here. After the "cut payroll...no wait...we are re-tooling" stuff that came out, I really didn't expect to see them getting much value for pieces they wanted to sell. Zunino's bat is flat out ugly. The offensive numbers he posted in 2017 appear to be a complete fluke. There are some concerns with Smith. The guy has no power at all and has been a surprisingly average defender considering the great speed he has. Wouldn't be crazy for the Rays to think the high OBP he posted last year was a fluke, so now is the time to sell high on him. Heredia is just another guy. The minor leaguers included look like lottery tickets...players who weren't highly regarded but both had excellent showings in 2018. But I'd take Smith's upside over Zunino's horrible bat any day. Zunino might have really good defensive skills, but a .275 OBP isn't out of the question for him...and I really question if a catcher should be considered anything other than backup quality with offensive out-making at that high of a rate.

[trwi7]

Would Zunino have been an upgrade for us?

 

Over Kratz? Yeah. Over Pina. No.

[brewerfan82]

Would Zunino have been an upgrade for us?

 

Over Kratz? Yeah. Over Pina. No.

I would take Zunino over Pina.

 

Three year stats:

 

Additionally Zunino's 4 years younger than Pina.

[brewcrewdue80]

Zunino has power but very high strike out, similar to Keon Broxton. Had a great 2017 but hard to repeat with the high babip that year and his continued high strikeouts. I actually like Malex Smith a lot and think the Mariners did good here. Wish the Brewers got him as an outfielder that could play all three positions.

 

I remember him being a high prospect, quickly brought up to Majors cuz he absolutely raked in minors. And then he completely failed and went in to a major decline period. I wouldnt dispel 2017 as a fluke. He certainly has a higher ceiling than any catcher currently in Brewers possession.

Great pickup for Tampa.

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

Zunino paired with Pina would’ve been a nice catching duo. Neither are really full time guys but in a split role I think we would’ve gotten really good production on the whole.

[JosephC]

Would Zunino have been an upgrade for us?

 

Over Kratz? Yeah. Over Pina. No.

I would take Zunino over Pina.

 

Three year stats:

 

Additionally Zunino's 4 years younger than Pina.

 

I'd go Pina. I think Zunino's 2017 was a fluke season as he was a .195/.262/.370/.632 hitter before that and a .201/.259/.410/.669 hitter in 2018. I'd project him as about a .200/.260/.390/.650 hitter moving forward. He seems well regarded defensively, but .260 OBP bats would have a real hard time sticking in my preferred lineup and he makes too much money to be a desirable bench piece. I can understand why people would make the argument the other way, because his power and defense makes him a really solid player even if he could just maintain a .310 OBP.

[trwi7]

Would Zunino have been an upgrade for us?

 

Over Kratz? Yeah. Over Pina. No.

I would take Zunino over Pina.

 

Three year stats:

 

Additionally Zunino's 4 years younger than Pina.

 

3.7 of that WAR came in what looks to be a completely fluky season.

[brewcrewdue80]

But that Fluky season of 3.7 is then higher than Pina's career WAR.

None of it matters since Zunino is a Ray and likely there for awhile. Based on the history of how they acquire Catchers/ 1b and money owed through team control.

I'd give Zunino the break on his 1st season numbers due to age, and rush to the majors. Maybe 17 is his Segura equivalent rookie year and 18 the following numbers while with Milwaukee. Change of scenery return to fluky numbers in 19 awaits? Only better?!

This kind of stuff is what makes Baseball great.