Written by Liam McGuire at Bloguin
We have a trade. The Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners made a six-player deal. Greg Johns of MLB.com reports Brad Miller, Logan Morrison, and Danny Farquhar have been traded to the Rays while Nate Karns, C.J. Riefenhauser and Boog Powell go the Mariners’ way.
From the Rays’ perspective, the move gives them three big league players who will add depth to their squad.
Miller is the crown jewel of the trade. The 26-year-old had a solid 2015, posting 11 home runs with 13 stolen bases to go with a .258 batting average and a .329 OBP. Those numbers are nice, but what makes Miller valuable is his versatility. Initially an infielder who prominently played shortstop, Miller played all three outfield positions last year, and the Rays could be hoping they’ve found their next Ben Zobrist, a guy they can plug anywhere on the field.
Morrison will likely assume a platoon role at first base and DH. He hit 17 home runs, all against righties last season, but only batted .225 with a .302 OBP. His low numbers come from being awful against lefties, as he hit .190 against southpaws in 142 at-bats.
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