MLB Trade Rumors: Cleveland Deals Jake Bauers to Mariners for TBA Player or Cash
June 10, 2021
The Seattle Mariners reportedly acquired first baseman and outfielder Jake Bauers from Cleveland on Thursday.
According to Zack Meisel of The Athletic, Cleveland will receive a player to be named later or cash in return.
Bauers, who was designated for assignment last week, has appeared in 43 games for Cleveland this season, hitting just .190 with two home runs and six RBI.
The 25-year-old Bauers made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Tampa Bay Rays, hitting .201 with 11 homers and 48 RBI in 96 games.
He was traded to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal prior to the 2019 season. That trade netted the Rays infielder Yandy Diaz, while the Mariners acquired designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and Cleveland picked up both Bauers and first baseman Carlos Santana.
Bauers saw fairly regular playing time in 2019, hitting .226 with 12 home runs and 43 RBI in a career-high 117 games and 372 at-bats.
Cleveland utilized him both at first base and in left field, and there was some belief his versatility would earn him a spot on the team again in 2020.
Instead, Bauers didn't make a single appearance for Cleveland last season, and since there was no minor league baseball because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he did not play in a competitive game of any kind.
Bauers made Cleveland's roster out of spring training this season, but he was never able to gain his footing and was DFA'ed despite Cleveland having limited options at first base.
For now, Cleveland is going with 25-year-old Bobby Bradley at the position, and he is off to a good start with a .400 batting average, one home run and three RBI in three games.
Bauers could receive some regular at-bats in Seattle given that starting first baseman Evan White and several of the Mariners' other hitters are on the injured list.
Lately, Seattle has been using utilityman Ty France at first base, although bringing in someone like Bauers with more extensive experience at the position could provide the M's with more flexibility.
Bauers will join a Mariners team that is third in the American League West at 31-32 and finds itself five games out of a playoff spot.
Meanwhile, Cleveland is second in the AL Central at 32-27 and two games out of a playoff spot.