Mariners acquire LHP Zach Duke, RHP Adam Warren in pair of trades

Minnesota Twins v Kansas City Royals

SAFECO FIELD -- The Seattle Mariners made a pair of additions to their bullpen on Monday ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline.

The Mariners acquired left-handed pitcher Zach Duke from the Minnesota Twins and right-handed pitcher Adam Warren from the New York Yankees in separate deals. Seattle sent minor league right-handed pitcher Chase De Jong and infielder Ryan Costello to the Twins for Duke and sent international slot money to the Yankees for Warren.

Duke, 35, is 3–4 with a 3.62 ERA in 45 games with the Twins this season. He has limited left-handed hitters to a .237 average with 16 strikeouts and just two extra-base hits this season.

Warren, 30, is 0–1 with a 2.70 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 12 walks in 24 relief appearances with the Yankees this season. Warren has held right-handed batters to a .169 batting average against and a .517 OPS.

The Mariners also added right-handed pitcher Sam Tuivailala in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday for minor league right-hander Seth Elledge.

Tuivailala, 25, is 3–3 with a 3.69 ERA in 31 games with the Cardinals this season. He has 21 scoreless outings in his 31 appearances, and has allowed one run or fewer in 29 of his 31 games. He has also limited right-handed hitters to a .230 average with just two extra-base hits. 

"With Tui and with Adam Warren, gives us guys who really have neutralized right-handed hitters very well, who are also capable of throwing multi-innings through the course of an outing," Dipoto said. "And in Adam's case, a guy who has been battle tested in meaningful innings for championship type competition on the big stage.

"Zach Duke does just the opposite. He wipes out the left-hand side and he has done it for playoff caliber clubs and he's done it for a number of years. The combination of Duke and (James) Pazos, Warren and Tuivailala with the group we already have done there, I think, gives Scott really anything he wants to do once the fifth inning comes around, we have the ability to do that now and not just burden anybody with too much work.

Dipoto said that following the acquisitions of Tuivailala, Duke and Warren, it's likely that they are done with moves before Tuesday's 1 p.m. deadline. With Felix Hernandez continuing to struggle, a starting pitcher could potentially make sense. A center fielder would as well as Guillermo Heredia has struggled offensively and the Mariners intend on keeping Dee Gordon at second base upon Robinson Cano's return.

However, finding a deal to do with the assets the Mariners have isn't simple.

"Tough to imagine how we're going to fit much more on our pitching staff," Dipoto said. "There's a lot of bodies and there's only so many chairs so we're going to have to be creative in how we work it right now. We're not closing the door on the potential to add something else in the rotation but we're certainly not, I wouldn't say we're hopeful that something is going to happen. We're still ear to the street on what we can do in terms of adding another position player to the club if that possibility exists. I wouldn't anticipate we're going to do anything else. This is likely it, but you know how we go. It's possible."


Photo Credit: KANSAS CITY, MO - JULY 21: Zach Duke #32 of the Minnesota Twins throws in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 21, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)


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