Reaction to Tampa Bay Rays trade for Zunino

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ST PETERSBURG, FL – SEPTEMBER 30: Mallex Smith #0 of the Tampa Bay Rays steals a base in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 30, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. The Rays won 9-4. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

The Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners struck a deal late Wednesday night swapping 5 players in total, headlined by Mallex Smith and Mike Zunino. Here is my reaction to the trade.

Former Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Mallex Smith will be headed back to Seattle where he once was a Mariner for 77 minutes. The Rays had previously acquired Mallex from Seattle in the Drew Smyly deal. In return for Mallex Smith and an unnamed prospect, the Mariners will send catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia, along with an unnamed prospect to Tampa Bay.

According to Marc Topkin, the included prospects are expected to be Seattle’s Micheal Plassmeyer, a left-handed pitcher drafted in the 4th round of this years draft and Jake Fraley, an outfielder and 2nd round draft pick of the Rays in 2016.

For the purposes of this article, I will be discussing my reaction to the Major League pieces moved. Lets begin…