Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Seattle Mariners have acquired second baseman Kolten Wong from the Milwaukee Brewers for Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Winker, who had been shopped by the Mariners all offseason, had the worst season of his career in 2022. He slashed .219/.344/.344/.688 with the Mariners and recorded a 103 OPS+. Winker also saw his average exit velocity drop from 90.6 in 2021 to 87.5 in 2022.
Toro, who presumably will take over for Wong at second base, has never put together a full season in MLB. He recorded a career-high 109 games played in 2022 and slashed an abysmal .185/.239/.324/.563. However, Toro is only 25 years old and was one of the hottest prospects in baseball in 2019. He can play second base, third base, and the corner outfield positions.
Wong, on the other hand, is heading to Seattle after having the best offensive season of his career. The Hawaiian slugged a career-high 15 home runs and recorded a career-high 118 OPS+. While Wong has been known for his stellar defense in the past, he was horrendous in 2022 and registered -9 outs above average.
Along with Winker and Toro, the Mariners are also sending the Brewers $1.75 million in cash. This money will help pay off the $8.25 million that Winker is owed in 2023.
This trade is beneficial for both organizations. The Brewers are hoping that Winker returns to the player that averaged a slugging percentage of .504 and 129 OPS+ in Cincinnati. The Mariners, on the other hand, are clearing up a corner outfield position after acquiring Teoscar Hernandez earlier in the offseason. Plus, for Seattle, it continues to be an aggressive offseason for an organization that is looking to take the next steps in its maturation process after finally making the playoffs in 2022 following one of the longest postseason droughts in all of sports.
Per sources, the deal is agreed upon but not finalized. The medicals are being reviewed and Winker is coming off two surgeries.
