The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to trade right-handed pitcher Yovani Gallardo to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Seth Smith.
The Orioles officially announced the deal on Twitter, also noting they sent cash considerations to the Mariners.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said Gallardo was an ideal fit for what the team needed heading into 2017.
“Gallardo gives us the veteran presence that we have been searching for,” he said, per the team’s official Twitter account. “He has a track record of durability and success as a starting pitcher. After examining the free agent and trade market, Yovani is the best fit for our club as we move forward this offseason.”
Per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick, the Orioles gained a little financial flexibility to address other holes on the roster by saving $4 million in the trade.
The move is unusual for the Mariners, who traded a younger and cheaper starter in Taijuan Walker to the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason. They are replacing him with Gallardo, who posted a 5.42 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 61 walks in 118 innings last season.
The Orioles needed to find a right fielder who can take the place of Mark Trumbo, assuming he doesn’t re-sign as a free agent. Even though Smith can’t match Trumbo’s power, he’s a better overall hitter with a .344 career on-base percentage and will cost only $7 million in 2017, per Baseball-Reference.com.
This is a low-key deal that fills a clear need for both teams, though the Orioles’ side looks better because Smith is a more valuable commodity at this point in his career than Gallardo is.
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