Mariners acquire 1B Lind from Brewers
Seattle sends three Minor League right-handers to Milwaukee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jerry Dipoto's rapid remake of the Mariners' roster continued Wednesday as the first-year general manager sent three lower-level Minor League pitchers to the Brewers in exchange for 10-year veteran first baseman Adam Lind on the final full day of the Winter Meetings.
The Brewers received right-handers Carlos Herrera, Daniel Missaki and Freddy Peralta, three players under 20 years old who weren't on the Mariners' 40-man roster. First baseman Andy Wilkins, claimed off waivers from the Orioles last week, was designated for assignment to open a roster spot for Lind.
"He's been a target of ours throughout the offseason," Dipoto said. "I've had many conversations with [new Milwaukee GM] David Stearns dating back to shortly after both of us got the jobs. Adam really suits us well. He has historically torched right-hand pitching, and there's no reason to believe that will change."
Lind will receive the majority of playing time next year at first base, with Jesus Montero now expected to earn a shot as the right-handed option and backup.
"We know Jesus can hit," Dipoto said. "It'll be incumbent on him to come to Spring Training for us and show us he can be the other side of first base. Adam will play against all righties and in the right circumstance some left-handers, but we want to see what Jesus can do, and he'll come into Spring Training and compete."
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The Mariners were searching for a first baseman after trading Mark Trumbo and Logan Morrison in the past month, and Lind -- who will make $8 million next season before becoming a free agent -- is a perfect fit in Dipoto's mind.
Lind, 32, has hit .282 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 85 at-bats during 23 career games at Safeco Field.
Video: Servais happy to add Lind to lineup options
"I always enjoyed playing there," Lind said. "You know, I had a fortunate experience that I got to watch Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista hit for a long time [in Toronto], and now I'll get to watch Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano hit a lot, and work with [Mariners hitting coach] Edgar Martinez. It will be a good experience for my baseball career."
Lind hit .277 with 20 home runs and 87 RBIs last season, his first with the Brewers after nine years with the Blue Jays. Dipoto has acknowledged that on-base percentage is important in all his additions this offseason for a Mariners club that ranked 11th in the American League at .311 last season, and Lind fits that criteria perfectly, as his OBP was .360 in 2015 and .381 in Toronto in '14.
Video: Mariners acquire first baseman Lind from the Brewers
Dipoto has now made three trades at the Winter Meetings and nine since the offseason began, as he continues a rapid makeover of the roster he inherited from former general manager Jack Zduriencik.
The left-handed-hitting Lind makes almost as much as the $9.1 million Trumbo was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn in salary arbitration this year, but he is regarded as a better defender and posted a 3.1 WAR and a higher OBP compared to Trumbo's 1.6 WAR and .310 on-base percentage with Seattle and Arizona last season.
Montero is the only returning first baseman in the Mariners' system. Catcher Steve Clevenger, acquired from the Orioles in the Trumbo deal, can also play first base.
Dipoto had already added three other projected position starters this offseason by trading for center fielder Leonys Martin and signing free-agent catcher Chris Iannetta and left fielder Nori Aoki, as well as trading for two new starting pitchers in Wade Miley and Nathan Karns and potential closer Joaquin Benoit, quickly turning over a team that went 76-86 last season.
As for the pitchers given up by Seattle, all three are just beginning their professional careers. Herrera, 18, went 4-2 with a 3.26 ERA in 14 starts for the Mariners' Dominican Summer League team last season.
Missaki, 19, was limited to six starts with Class A Clinton in 2015 before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Over three seasons in the Minor Leagues, he is 7-6 with a 3.40 ERA in 24 games (20 starts).
Peralta, 19, went 2-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 11 games (nine starts) for the Mariners' Rookie-level Arizona team.
Video: Servais talks about the Mariners' overhauled roster
Fantasy spin | Fred Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB)
Coming off a 20-homer, 87-RBI season, Lind should lengthen the Mariners' lineup behind a core of Cano and Cruz. Granted, the lifetime .213 hitter against southpaws will likely require a platoon partner. Divisional foes the Angels and Rangers may each utilize three lefty starters, while the A's recently signed southpaw Rich Hill and the Astros boast left-handed ace Dallas Keuchel. Moreover, this will be the first time the first baseman has played at a pitcher-friendly home park, as he spent the first nine years of his career in Toronto and last season in Milwaukee. But with the ability to reach 20 homers and 70 RBIs, he should nonetheless be a mixed-league option.