*Photo from WLWT*
It's not just the time of free agent signings, it's also still trade season. The Milwaukee Brewers have acquired OF Jesse Winker and IF Abraham Toro from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for 2B Kolten Wong and cash considerations, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
The cash going to Seattle is $1.75 million. The Brewers had been shopping Wong on the market to try and find a trade partner, and now they have one in the Mariners. Coming back is Winker, who has been a thorn in the side of the Brewers whenever he has played them, and a possible replacement for Wong at second in Toro.
Wong is on the books for $10 million in 2023 after the Brewers picked up his team option. The two time gold glover instantly provides an upgrade on defense and is currently slated as the starting second baseman on opening day, barring any further moves.
Last season was Wong's second in Milwaukee after previously playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. He ended the year with a .251 batting average, .339 on base percentage, and .430 slugging percentage, adding 15 home runs and 47 RBI's in 134 games for the Brewers, stealing 17 bases as well.
Brewers GM Matt Arnold said of the trade that "There are a lot of guys here in our mix that we like a lot, including the guy we just got here in Abraham Toro that we’re excited about. A lot of our players in our mix have a lot of flexibility; you guys know that we value that very much as a franchise. Having added depth across the entire infield is something that we feel really good about."
Toro is coming off a down season in 2022 for the Mariners. He ended the year with a paltry .185 batting average, .239 on base percentage, and .563 OPS, adding 10 home runs and 35 RBI's in 109 games, recording 13 doubles and one triple.
Winker is the other piece coming from Seattle, off a down year of his own in 2022. Winker ended the season with a .219 batting average, .344 slugging percentage, and .688 OPS, hitting 14 home runs to go with 53 RBI's in 136 games. He didn't play in the postseason for the Mariners due to injury.
Asked about going to Milwaukee, Winker said that "Playing against the Brewers was always very, very tough, very challenging, so I’m looking forward to being on the other side of that. It’s an amazing place to hit. You can see the ball. It’s just a great spot. It’s definitely one of my favorite places I’ve ever played and I’m excited to get this thing going."
With Wong coming to Seattle, he's currently the middle infield batterymate of shortstop JP Crawford. Toro is a strong candidate to replace Wong at second in Milwaukee, likely competing with Keston Hiura. Winker is a DH candidate for the Brewers with Andrew McCutchen a free agent.
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