Seattle Mariners trade rumors reveal that Austin Jackson has been dealt to the Chicago Cubs. These Mariners trade rumors indicate that the team will receive a player to be named later and additional international pool money. A report from MLB analyst Ryan Divish confirms that the deal has just taken place.
Jackson is a free agent in the offseason, making the center fielder very expendable at this point. With the Mariners struggling during the 2015 MLB season, it became very obvious that he would get dealt before the deadline. During parts of two seasons in Seattle, Jackson posted a.257 batting average and a.639 OPS over 161 total games.
The Chicago Cubs are hoping that Austin Jackson can return to the form he had with the Detroit Tigers. Over parts of five seasons in Detroit, he posted a.277 batting average and.755 OPS. He blended speed on the base paths with intermittent power at the plate. More importantly, he played good defense in center field. That could make him a valuable late-inning replacement, even if he doesn’t take over the starting job in Chicago.
These Seattle trade rumors conclude speculation that has been going on for a while about Jackson. The team had been trying to convert infielder Brad Miller into a reliable center fielder recently, seeing whether he could be a realistic option for the 2016 MLB season and beyond. Early word is that he will see increased playing time in center until the end of this season.
This trade follows a series of moves that included the Mariners trading reliever Fernando Rodney, demoting catcher Mike Zunino, and firing general manager Jack Zduriencik. The front office isn’t done making moves either, as when September call-ups take place, there could be a shift from playing veterans to giving younger prospects more opportunities. Even if the team is slowly approaching elimination from playing in the postseason, the youth movement should at least give fans something interesting to watch.
It has been a rough season for the Mariners, with the team lacking offense while the pitching was good, and then struggling on the mound when the offense came around recently. The team has slumped to a 61-70 record overall, which likely means a fourth place finish in the American League West. There are going to be a lot of Seattle Mariners trade rumors in the offseason, with a new general manager looking to make a splash with his new team. First they have to get through September though.
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