The Mariners keep trading, supposedly sending Jose Caballero to the Rays for Luke Raley

The Mariners just keep wheeling and dealing, catching everyone off guard on a Friday afternoon. Just minutes after a trade with the Giants in which they sent Robbie Ray over to San Francisco for Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani, they called up the Tampa Bay Rays and sent them Jose Caballero for Luke Raley.

This is an interesting move, and another one that makes a lot of sense for the Mariners. They have a glut of players who can play 2B and 3B, and this does a good job of not just clearing that up, but bringing in a player in Raley that is able to help fill the holes that the team has in their lineup.

After getting Haniger to play RF (maybe?), they now have Raley as well. He has a few years of control, which is huge, and has shown great promise in Tampa. He hit .249/.333/.490 last season, hitting 19 homers while stealing 14 bases. It's a bit odd in that he doesn't fit the supposed high walks+low K's look the Mariners wanted, but they are getting someone that definitely helps the team if he can play like he did in 2023.

He's an average defender, but as he gets comfortable in Seattle and plays next to Julio, that will likely fall into the average to a bit better range. It's also worth noting that he can play LF and 1B, so he can split time in those spots if needed.

It does sort of stink to see Jose Caballero go, but he ended up as the odd man out. He was a fan favorite for how he played, getting under the opponent's skin.

The Mariners have made two moves in a very short time to improve their lineup, and it seems like even more may be happening. Stay tuned as we continue to update the story.