Key piece in Mariners and Reds blockbuster trade undergoes Tommy John surgery

When you make as many trades as Jerry Dipoto has, there are bound to be a few big winners and possibly even more losers, and the Mariners' President of Baseball Operations is certainly no exception. Guys like Luke Raley, Andres Munoz, and Matt Brash emphasize the big wins, while others like Freddy Peralta and Chris Taylor are players that "Trader Jerry" would love to have back.

Rarely are there win-win trades, but teams trading proven talent for unknown prospects certainly understand the inherent risk that they take when deciding to sell. That was the case when the Cincinnati Reds decided to dump Eugenio Suarez's contract in a blockbuster move that landed the Mariners one of the best bats in the game, Jesse Winker (at that time anyways, we all know how that played out).

For the two sluggers, the Reds took the chance on a pair of promising young pitchers (RHP Justin Dunn and LHP Brandon Williamson), along with outfielder Jake Fraley, and a PTBNL (it ended up being Connor Phillips). While Jake Fraley is the only one to establish himself in the Major Leagues, Dunn and Williamson have continuously dealt with injuries and things have gotten worse for one of the Mariners' former top pitching prospects.

Brandon Williamson set to undergo Tommy John surgery

No one wants to see anyone get hurt and having a young, talented arm go down with a major injury is just terrible. Unfortunately for Brandon Williamson, he is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, placing some serious doubts on his availability for the 2025 season. This was just his fourth start back after beginning the year on the 60-day injured list with a left shoulder injury.

Williamson showed some promise during his debut 2023 season, throwing 117 innings, compiling a 7.5 K/9 and 3 BB/9 with a respectable 4.46 ERA. The big left-handed pitcher flashed a lot of potential with his time in the Mariners organization and was a key piece in the blockbuster, Jesse Winker trade package. The TCU product will turn 27 in April of 2025, meaning Reds fans likely won't see Williamson throw until his age 28 season. While this trade seems like a win for the Mariners and Jerry Dipoto, no one wants to see a player get hurt and Mariners fans will certainly be rooting for a speedy recovery for Williamson.