Mariners swap Venditte for outfielder Curletta

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Switch pitcher Pat Venditte is switching teams once again, as the Mariners traded the ambidextrous hurler to the Phillies on Sunday for Minor League outfielder Joey Curletta.
Venditte, who is currently pitching for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, posted a 5.73 ERA over 22 innings in 15 relief appearances with the Blue Jays and Mariners last season. He has a 4.97 career ERA with a 2-2 record over 50 2/3 innings in 41 outings during the past two seasons, after debuting with the A's in 2015.
He was acquired from Toronto last August for Minor League infielder Tim Lopes.

Curletta, 23, will be assigned to the Mariners' Minor League camp. He split last season between High Class A Rancho Cucamonga and Double-A Tulsa in the Dodgers organization before being traded to the Phillies in mid-September.
Curletta posted a .267/.338/.496 slash line, with 13 homers and 54 RBIs, in 77 games for Rancho Cucamonga and a .206/.280/.371 ledger, with four homers and 13 RBIs, in 29 games for Tulsa.
The 31-year-old Venditte allowed two runs in three innings with five strikeouts in three Cactus League outings this spring. He has pitched twice for Team Italy, giving up five runs on five hits with four strikeouts and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.
The trade was the 15th made by Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto since the end of last season, and the 41st in the 17 months since he was hired by Seattle.