Mariners make outfield upgrade getting Maybin from Marlins
Marlins centerfielder Cameron Maybin (1) is retired in second base after a ground ball by Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro (13) at Marlins Park in Miami, Monday, July 9, 2018. The Marlins won, 4-3. (Sam Navarro/Miami Herald/TNS)
SEATTLE (AP) — Jerry Dipoto thought he was done making deals a day before the non-waiver trade deadline after remodeling the Seattle Mariners bullpen.
That was before he was able to upgrade the one obvious position where Seattle could use help.
Seattle acquired outfielder Cameron Maybin from the Miami Marlins on Tuesday, giving the Mariners a boost in the outfield going into the final two months of the regular season. Seattle landed Maybin in exchange for minor league infielder Bryson Brigman and international slot money.
Center field was the one obvious position where Seattle could use an upgrade. Since moving Dee Gordon to second base, Guillermo Heredia has seen the majority of the time in center field. And while Heredia is outstanding defensively, his bat hasn’t provided much to Seattle’s lineup. Heredia is hitting .229 with a .314 on-base percentage and 22 runs scored. Heredia was batting .302 on May 29, but his average has taken a nose dive. In the past 51 games played, Heredia is hitting just .184.
Maybin has been the opposite offensively, and why he should be an upgrade for Seattle. Maybin is batting .251 with three homers and 20 RBIs in 99 games this season, but he’s batting .329 with a .912 OPS since June 29. The Mariners are the seventh team for the 12-year veteran, who has a $3.25 million, one-year contract. Maybin also has postseason experience, playing in the World Series last year with Houston. Seattle entered the day two games ahead of Oakland for the second wild-card in the American League and three games behind the Astros in the AL West.
Maybin was the last of Seattle’s four trades in the days leading up to the deadline. Seattle also acquired relief pitchers Sam Tuivailala, Adam Warren and Zach Duke in a trio of deals.
The acquisition of Maybin will likely put to rest any thought of moving Gordon back to center field late in the season following the return of Robinson Cano from his 80-game suspension. Dipoto said the intent was to leave Gordon at second base, but that he may see occasional time in the outfield. Getting Maybin means Cano will be moving around to positions other than second base once he returns.
Brigman is batting .304 this year for Single-A Modesto. He was a third-round pick in 2016 but hasn’t played above Single-A.