It’s like saying that dogs like bacon, yet the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners traded on Friday. Farhan Zaidi and Jerry Dipoto, the presidents of baseball operations of the two organizations, don’t need much to smell out a deal. They add the “act” to “transaction” when they start a text thread.
Do you require a temporary roster? Having to deal with a DFA limbo player? Over the last three or four years, there have been occasions when the Giants and Mariners have virtually viewed one another like backup farm systems. Players have received two deals. First baseman Mike Ford was acquired by the Giants from the Mariners in 2022, used as a starter in one game, and then was transferred back. In the Hertz lot, there are Fords that are rented for longer than that. The Giants signed backup catcher Tom Murphy last month. Prior to trading him to Seattle, the team had him in their system for almost four days.
The majority of the Giants and Mariners’ moves have been impermanent and interchangeable players. A couple of them, such as the trade that sent fringy infielder Donovan Walton to Seattle in exchange for rising reliever prospect Prelander Berroa, were regretful. But it’s been take-a-penny, leave-a-penny stuff for the most part. Nothing that would change how either franchise developed.
Zaidi and Dipoto advanced to take-a-million, leave-a-million on Friday.
They agreed to a deal that might not have improved either team significantly on Opening Day, but it checked a lot of boxes for both teams, moved a ton of salary obligations, and gave three well-paid veteran players who played little last season a chance to move places.
Robbie Ray, a left-hander and previous American League Cy Young Award winner, is traded to the Giants. He will not be able to throw until at least July due to serious elbow surgery. Anthony DeSclafani, a right-hander, and outfielder Mitch Haniger, a former Marine, are traded to Seattle. To ensure that the deal is cash-neutral in 2024, the Giants are also contributing $6 million.