The Seattle Mariners have made their second move to bolster their bullpen under new GM Jerry Dipoto, acquiring Joaquin Benoit from the San Diego Padres for a pair of class-A prospects.
#Padres trade RP Joaquin Benoit to #Mariners for RHP Enyel De Los Santos, INF Nelson Ward. Santos, 19, big arm. 15 teams called on Benoit.
— Corey Brock (@CoreyBrockMLB) November 12, 2015
The 38-year old Benoit had an $8 million option for 2016 picked up by the Padres last week, and rumors immediately began to circulate that he’d be traded soon thereafter. Sure enough, that’s exactly what happened. In 2015, serving as the primary set-up man to Craig Kimbrel, Benoit pitched to a 2.34 ERA in 65 1/3 innings, striking out 63 and walking 23. Benoit, usually a fly ball heavy pitcher, also posted the highest ground ball rate of his career in 2015, something that could be a benefit to the Mariners. But even if he reverts to his fly ball happy self, Seattle’ emphasis on a more athletic outfield should be a good match for him along with the spacious Petco Park.
In return, the Padres acquire a pair of players that won’t be factors in the majors for awhile. Enyel De Los Santos will turn 20 next month, and split the year between rookie ball and low-A for the Mariners. In 62 1/3 innings, he struck out 71 and walked 18, pitching to a 3.47 ERA. Nelson Ward is a 23-year old middle infielder drafted by the Mariners in the 2014 Draft. In 122 games last year split between A-ball and high-A, he hit .278/.365/.436 with nine homers and 13 stolen bases.
For the Mariners, this is Dipoto’s second big deal in a week. Last week, he dealt Brad Miller, Danny Farquhar, and Logan Morrison to the Rays for Nathan Karns, CJ Riefenhauser, and Boog Powell. Both Karns and Riefenhauser will likely be somewhere on the Mariners pitching staff on Opening Day, and it’s possible that they both could be in the bullpen along with Benoit. Seattle’s bullpen was quite poor last year, pitching to a 4.15 ERA in 523 innings, and any improvements should be welcomed.
Even if they just add Benoit and Riefenhauser to the pen while slotting Karns into the rotation, those two along with Carson Smith and Tom Wilhelmsen will give Seattle a much stronger back-end than they had last year, when Fernando Rodney, Farquahar, and Joe Beimel were logging significant innings.
