Another Seattle Mariners trade took place on Tuesday (August 8). The Mariners acquired relief pitcher Ernesto Frieri from the Texas Rangers in a deal that could help the bullpen down the stretch. The Seattle Mariners are desperate for arms after it was revealed that Davis Phelps will be on the disabled list for the next two-to-three weeks.
Ernesto Frieri will immediately report to the Tacoma Rainiers where he will get in some work before potentially getting called up by the Seattle Mariners. For now, Frieri is an extra arm for Triple-A Tacoma, as the team has had to give up a lot of relievers in promotions.
Most recently, the injuries to David Phelps and Felix Hernandez have forced the team to call up players.
What did the Seattle Mariners give up for Ernesto Frieri?
While it is unclear what the Mariners are sending the Texas Rangers for Frieri, it will probably just be cash or a player to be named later. Frieri doesn’t have a lot of value for the Rangers and had been pitching in the minor leagues this season. This is a move seen only to add depth for the Mariners, much like when the team traded with the Miami Marlins for Phelps.
This is also the third trade that the Mariners have pulled off in the last week, with general manager Jerry Dipoto making two additional deals over the weekend. One of the trades added All-Star first baseman Yonder Alonso from the Oakland Athletics, possibly giving the Mariners a much-needed boost on offense.
The deals also clearly show that Dipoto isn’t done making trades this season.
What has Ernesto Frieri done during his MLB career?
Frieri is a 31-year-old relief pitcher who has spent time with the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Texas Rangers during his eight-year MLB career. Over that time, he has posted a 3.59 ERA and 1.236 WHIP over 303 1/3 innings of work.
Frieri had several really good seasons as a reliever and the Mariners hope that he might be able to post some decent numbers this year.
Ernesto Frieri will likely be with the Tacoma Rainiers until the end of August, but then he should receive a promotion to the Seattle Mariners in September if he can prove that he deserves it.
Frieri is just a move to add depth to a depleted system for now, but he has shown in the past that he is more than just a fill-in player. Can he regain that success and prove he deserves another shot? The Seattle Mariners certainly hope so.
