Seattle Mariners trade rumors reveal that a deal is being finalized with the Tampa Bay Rays. In this trade, as reported by Mariners beat writer Ryan Divish, the Mariners would trade Mike Zunino and Guillermo Heredia to the Rays. In exchange, the Mariners would get back outfielder Mallex Smith, who had been sent there as part of the Drew Smyly trade. This is a huge deal, as it nets the Mariners a really good outfielder who could become the leadoff hitter for the team.

Losing Mike Zunino is a huge deal

There had been rumors floating around about a Zunino trade, so fans have had about a day to prepare for this to take place.

Now, the Mariners are going to need to add another catcher, either through free agency or in another trade. Losing Zunino is going to be hard on the pitching staff of the Mariners, as he is widely known as the best pitch framer in the game. His defense has also been stellar, leading to several awards this offseason based on his time behind the plate in 2018.

Mallex Smith could give Mariners a boost

During the 2018 MLB season, Mallex Smith played in 141 games for the Tampa Bay Rays. Over 480 at-bats, he posted a .296 batting average to go with a .467 on-base percentage. Those are numbers that could be really nice in the Mariners' batting order. Smith is really quick on the bases as well, psoting 40 stolen bases for the Rays.

Having Smith and Dee Goron in the same lineup could certainly cause a lot of stress for opposing pitchers.

Will Mariners trade Dee Gordon now?

With the acquition of a guy who plays center field very well, there are already Dee Gordon trade rumors popping up. Gordon has played one season for the Mariners, but he lost his leadoff role due to a lack of taking walks. He batted ninth in the batting order toward the end of the 2018 season, seeing his at-bats erod due to a depth in the outfield. With Robinson Cano ready to play as the full-time second baseman again, could that make Gordon expendable?

It's possible that no Seattle Mariners trade rumors will lead to a deal involving Gordon. Maybe, an alternative plan of the front office is to let Nelson Cruz leave in free agency and have Cano as the designated hitter more often.

In that situation, Gordon could play second base, bat ninth, and serve as a good player to be on base in front of Mallex Smith.

The Mike Zunino-Mallex Smith trade isn't complete

While these Seattle Mariners trade rumors indicate that a deal is almost done with the Tampa Bay Rays, none of the news is official. Yet. It could become official later in the week, with Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto acting quickly to infuse the roster with more young talent. This might be the first step in a series of deals, all looking to "reimagine" the roster for the 2019 MLB season. Buckle up Mariners fans, because it's going to be a busy offseason.
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