The Seattle Mariners have acquired second baseman Kolten Wong from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro, the teams announced Friday.
Wong, 32, is a two-time Gold Glove Award winner who hit for a 118 OPS+ in 2022. He's entering the final season of his contract, during which he'll earn $10 million. The Mariners would be wise to pair Wong with a right-handed platoon partner, as he has generally been a below-average contributor versus southpaws. Even so, he should provide the Mariners with good defense, baserunner, and some quality hitting against right-handed pitchers.
Wong is the second notable position player acquired by the Mariners this offseason. They previously fetched outfielder Teoscar Hernández from the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a three-player swap that also included reliever Erik Swanson.
The Brewers, for their part in this deal, net Winker and Toro.
Winker, 29, is coming off a down season that saw him post a 103 OPS+ and finish below the replacement-level line. Prior to the 2022 campaign, he'd hit .292/.392/.552 (142 OPS+) during the Pandemic Era. The Brewers are presumably banking on Winker bouncing back. If he does, he could help replace the production they lost earlier this winter when they traded Hunter Renfroe to the Los Angeles Angels. Winker will make more than $8 million next season, meaning the Brewers are gaining some slight savings in this trade.
Toro, 25, has been identified in the past as a breakout candidate. He hasn't made good on that promise yet, hitting for a career 74 OPS+ while primarily playing second base. It's up to the Brewers now to get the most from him -- perhaps as part of a timeshare that sees him platoon with rookie infielder Brice Turang at the keystone.
