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Mallex Smith was made a promise by Seattle genera

Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 3:00 am
by panxing18
SEATTLE (AP) —l manager Jerry Dipoto when he was acquired for a second time by the Mariners after an initial tenure that lasted less than two hours.“Dipoto didn’t guarantee anything http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic ... bow-jersey , but he said I at least have 78 minutes,” Smith joked. “We’ll see.”Smith is back with the Mariners as part of a five-player deal between Seattle and Tampa Bay on Thursday that landed the Rays catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia.The swap continued a lengthy trade history between the teams and came as a surprise to Zunino, who said he had recent conversations with Seattle manager Scott Servais looking ahead to 2019.“I was shocked. To see your name in trade talks, let alone this early in the offseason, was beyond my expectations,” Zunino said.Smith, 25, stole a career-best 40 bases this year and was caught 12 times. He hit .296, tied for the major league lead with 10 triples and had 40 RBIs. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season. He signed with San Diego in 2012, was traded to Atlanta in December 2014 and was dealt to the Mariners in January 2017, then sent to the Rays on the same day in a trade that shipped left-hander Drew Smyly to Seattle.His previous Seattle stint lasted all of 77 minutes before he was sent to the Rays.“Bringing Mallex back home to Seattle is exciting for us all,” Dipoto said in a statement. “His combination of speed, base running impact, defense and on-base abilities are unique in today’s game. We believe his breakout 2018 performance reflects the many ways his skills will positively impact the Mariners for years to come.”Smith said he’s going in with the idea of playing in center field Devin Mesoraco Jersey , which would allow Seattle to move Dee Gordon to his natural position of second base. But the move for Smith could just be the start of a hectic offseason overhaul for the Mariners.“I feel like it’s a good fit. I feel like the team wants me,” Smith said. “It’s very comfortable when you know the team wants you. Jerry has traded for me twice, so I feel like I’ll fit in well here.”Heredia, who turns 28 in January, hit .236 with five homers and 19 RBIs in 337 plate appearances as a fourth outfielder for the Mariners this year. He is not eligible for free agency until after the 2022 season.Zunino, 27, was taken by Seattle with the third overall pick in the 2012 amateur draft and signed for a $4 million bonus. He hit just .201 this year but had 20 homers with 44 RBIs, down from a .251 average, 25 homers and 64 RBIs in 2017. While well-regarded for his defense, he has struck out 310 times in 760 at-bats during the past two seasons.Zunino said an oblique injury just before the start of the regular season caused him to struggle at the plate and led to his drop from the progress he had shown as a hitter in 2017.“It really took me longer than I’d like. I came back and it took me longer than I would have liked to get comfortable,” Zunino said. “Once that happened, I ended up giving away too many at-bats … tried to chase too much. I think getting back to that, trying to take care of my body, getting back to 100 percent is the main goal. I feel great now.”Zunino grew up in Cape Coral http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic ... bow-jersey , Florida, and played for the University of Florida. He made $2,975,000 this year, is eligible for salary arbitration and can become a free agent following the 2020 season.Seattle also sent minor league left-handed pitcher Michael Plassmeyer to Tampa Bay while the Rays sent minor league outfielder Jake Fraley to the Mariners. TORONTO (AP) — In one productive inning, Cleveland catcher Roberto Perez snapped the longest homer drought of his career and boosted his season RBI total by 50 percent.Perez hit his first home run since April 10 and drove in a career-high four, Michael Brantley had a two-run shot and the Indians outslugged the Toronto Blue Jays 9-8 on Saturday, helping Cleveland inch closer to clinching a playoff berth.The Indians dropped their magic number to five for a third straight AL Central title.All of Perez’s RBIs came in Cleveland’s seven-run fifth inning. He began the outburst with a leadoff drive off right-hander Sean Reid-Foley, snapping a 50-game drought. Three batters later, Brantley connected, his 15th. Blue Jays pitchers issued five walks in the inning, including four straight at one stretch, the last of which was a bases-loaded walk to Jason Kipnis. Perez followed with a three-run double.“It feels good,” Perez said. “I’ve been working hard every day Pedro Martinez Jersey , coming in and doing my routine, and it’s paying off. It was just a matter of time. It’s been a long season. Hopefully I turn it on from now on.”Perez raised his average from .148 to .157 and increased his RBI total from eight to 12.“He put together one heck of a day,” Indians right-hander Adam Plutko said. “Even behind the dish, he stopped a few balls late in the game. He did a great job today.”Brantley returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games because of a sore left foot and went 2 for 4 with two walks.“We knew he was OK but it’s always nice to have him,” manager Terry Francona said.Josh Tomlin (1-5) got two outs for the win and Cody Allen, Cleveland’s seventh pitcher of the game, pitched around a one-out double in the ninth to earn his 26th save.Randal Grichuk homered twice for the Blue Jays, his fourth career multihomer game, and Rowdy Tellez hit his first career homer. The Blue Jays lost despite outhitting the Indians 18-11.“A little bit of a crazy game,” Francona said.Reid-Foley (1-3) made his fourth career start and allowed six runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked a season-high five and struck out three.“If I have to trip on a couple of curbs and learn from it, I still have to keep my head up and have fun,” Reid-Foley said.Justin Shafer relieved and threw 10 consecutive balls. Perez’s bases-clearing double came on Shafer’s 12th pitch.Grichuk connected off Adam Plutko in the third, and he and Tellez chased Plutko by going back-to-back in the fifth. Grichuk’s homers were his 20th and 21st.The home run was Tellez’s seventh extra-base hit, the most by any player over his first four games since 1913.“It’s one of those surreal moments that you just dream about Max Kepler Jersey ,” Tellez said. “It was pretty cool to do it here in front of the home fans.”Plutko matched his career worst by allowing five runs and gave up a career-high nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.Aledmys Diaz had four hits for Toronto, including three doubles.18 ISN’T ENOUGHThe Blue Jays lost a game in which they had 18 or more hits for the first time since a 10-inning road defeat to the Yankees on Sept. 22, 2007. The Indians won when allowing 18 or more hits for the first time since Aug. 23, 2006.SEVEN UPCleveland has had six seven-run innings this season, including three against Toronto.CRAZY EIGHTTellez is the first Blue Jays player with eight hits in his first four games. Danny Ainge, Aaron Hill, Lloyd Moseby and Travis Snider each had seven.TRAINER’S ROOMIndians: Josh Donaldson (left calf) made his second straight start at third base for Double-A Akron and went 1 for 3 in five innings. Donaldson will work out with the Indians in Tampa Bay on Monday and could be activated off the disabled list Tuesday.UP NEXTIndians RHP Mike Clevinger (10-7, 3.17) faces Blue Jays LHP Thomas Pannone (1-1, 4.58) in Sunday’s series finale. Clevinger has won four straight decisions and is unbeaten since July 28 at Detroit. Pannone, a former Indians minor leaguer, will make his third major league start in place of injured RHP Marcus Stroman (blister).