The San Francisco Giants will get Robbie Ray, who is recuperating from Tommy John surgery, while the Seattle Mariners signed veterans Mitch Haniger and Anthony DeSclafani.
The teams confirmed their agreement Friday afternoon, trading right-hand pitcher Anthony DeSclafani and outfielder Mitch Haniger to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for left-hand pitcher Robbie Ray.
Jeff Passan of ESPN was the first to report on the change.
As part of the deal, the Giants are returning $3 million to the Mariners, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. It was a cash-neutral agreement for all parties because Ray and Haniger received $1 million bonuses for being traded.
Ray’s Tommy John surgery from May of last year is still bothering him. The 32-year-old southpaw’s current contract has three years and $73 million left on it, but after the 2024 campaign, he can opt out.
Following his AL Cy Young victory with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021—a late-season breakout season for the dependable starter for the Arizona Diamondbacks—Ray was signed by the Mariners. But in 2022, Ray’s output dropped off, and he only managed one start before suffering an injury in 2023.
After the All-Star break, Ray is anticipated to return to the mound, and he should add much-needed depth to the small Giants rotation that surrounds ace Logan Webb.
Haniger, on the other hand, will feel completely at home in Seattle because he was a member of the Mariners from 2017 to 2022. In 2018, he was selected as an All-Star and placed 11th in the AL MVP voting.
In 2021, Haniger’s 39 home runs and 100 RBI helped him place 20th in the AL MVP voting. But in 118 games played over the course of the next two seasons, Haniger has only managed 17 home runs and 72 RBI.
Haniger, 33, has a player option for $15.5 million for 2025 in addition to a $17 million contract that is set to expire in 2024. Barring any more injuries, he should assume the role of right fielder for the Mariners on a regular basis.
DeSclafani, who turns 34 in April, is starting his eleventh season in the major leagues. Before joining the Giants in 2021, he was an innings eater with the Cincinnati Reds.
In 2023, DeSclafani made 19 appearances and finished 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA, 1.254 WHIP, and 0.2 WAR. Over his career, DeSclafani is 54–56 with a 4.20 ERA, 1.268 WHIP, and 10.2 WAR.
DeSclafani is expected to earn $12 million this season and become a free agent in the winter of 2020. He should take Ray’s place in the starting rotation in the interim, behind George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller.
It is unclear if the Giants will continue to pursue Japanese free agent Shota Imanaga after signing a left-handed starter in the same price range. Imanaga was previously listed as one of the four finalists for the position.