Breaking News: Mariners Trade Dustin Ackley to Yankees

The #Mariners have acquired OF Ramon Flores and RHP Jose Ramirez from the #Yankees in exchange for OF Dustin Ackley.
— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) July 30, 2015

The Seattle Mariners dipped their feet into the MLB trading frenzy on Thursday afternoon, shipping Dustin Ackley to the New York Yankees. Jack Curry of YES broke the news on twitter, and both clubs later confirmed it. The M’s received OF Ramon Flores and RHP Jose Ramirez for the Ack-Attack.

Dustin Ackley has been a colossal disappointment in 2015. The University of North Carolina alum is hitting a measly .215 with 6 home runs, 19 RBI’s and 2 stolen bases across 85 games this season. He has registered a .270 on base percentage, and slugged .366 over 207 plate appearances.

The Mariners spent the number 2 overall pick on the Ack-Attack, and his tenure in Seattle will not be fondly remembered by many fans. Ackley spent 5 seasons in a Mariners’ uniform, and his career numbers are underwhelming to say the least. He hit .243 with 42 home runs, 201 RBI’s and 31 stolen bases across 584 career games. Ackley posted a .306 career on base percentage, and slugged .366 during his time in Seattle.

Despite his struggles, Ackley did a number of things well for the M’s. Originally a second baseman, Ackley successfully moved to the outfield during the 2013 season. He quickly became one of the most proficient and versatile outfielders on the roster. Many fans forget that Ackley carried the M’s offensively during last summer’s resurrection. The bearded wonder hit .318 with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 7 home runs, 33 RBI’s and 5 stolen bases during the months of July and August. In those 2 months, Ackley finally lived up to the hype. Unfortunately, his success was short-lived.

This move has long been predicted. Dustin Ackley’s playing time has diminished greatly over the past couple months, and it was only a matter of time until he was removed from the roster. The Yankees have consistently shown interest in the 27-year-old, and the Yanks have been considered the favorites to land him over the past few years. Ackley was out of minor league options, and it is surprising Seattle was able to get anything in return. That being said, neither Ramon Flores or Jose Ramirez are considered top prospects.

May 30, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Ramon Flores (31) bats during the second inning against the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum. The Yankees defeated the Athletics 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Ramon Flores is a 23-year-old outfielder who has appeared in 12 games with the Bronx Bombers in 2015. He sports a .219 batting average with 1 double, 0 home runs and 0 RBI’s through his first 33 plate appearances. Flores has decent minor league numbers, and comes to Seattle with a .268/.360/.429 career slash line in Triple-A. He has seen time at all 3 outfield spots this season, but his best position appears to be left field.

Jose Ramirez is a 25-year-old right-handed reliever that has made 11 appearances with the Yankees since 2014. Ramirez is 0-2 with a 7.62 ERA across 13.0 innings in the big leagues. His 12:11 strikeout to walk ratio is ugly, as is his 2.154 WHIP. However, Ramirez has found plenty of success in the minor leagues. Over the past 2 seasons, Ramirez has gone 6-0 with a 2.18 ERA and 11 saves over the course of 41 appearances. He has struck out 72 hitters and walked 33 in 62 innings.

Neither player is expected to be impact performers for Seattle, but both are likely to appear at Safeco Field at some point this season. Flores’ ceiling appears to be as a utility outfielder. He does’t hit well enough to be an everyday corner outfielder, and he does not have the range to patrol center field. Ramirez is not a bad pickup for the M’s. If he can translate his minor league numbers to the big league level, he could be a quality late-inning reliever. Flores and Ramirez will likely be assigned to Tacoma.

Bob Dutton of The News Tribune reports that Jesus Montero is expected to join the Mariners on Friday to take Ackley’s roster spot. Montero is hitting .300 this season in Seattle, and he was named an All-Star in 2015 with the Rainiers. The 25-year-old is hitting a ridiculous .348 with 16 home runs and 76 RBI’s this season in Tacoma.

The biggest from this trade may be the fact that Ackley will be forced to shave his luxurious beard. The Yanks are famous for their clean cut image, and their players are not allowed to have facial hair. It will be a sad day when Ackley is forced to take a razor to his beard.

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