It seems we’ve reached the point in our GM Trade History series where someone at MLBTR has taken on the foolhardy, daunting task of re-chronicling the unyielding exploits of Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto — far and away the most active executive on MLB’s trade market. (What have I done?!) Commonly referred to as “Trader Jerry,” the seemingly tireless Dipoto has fueled hundreds of posts here at MLBTR (thanks, Jerry!) through a series of win-now moves, fringe roster tinkerings and, more recently, a “reimagining” of his organization.
Dipoto took the reins as the Mariners’ general manager at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign. Predecessor Jack Zduriencik had been unable to break the club’s mounting postseason drought, and ownership turned to a former division rival to try to turn things around. Dipoto held the GM post with the Angels from 2011-15 but saw a relatively publicized rift grow between himself and skipper Mike Scioscia over the manager’s unwillingness to utilize data from the club’s analytics department. The frustration boiled to the point where Dipoto resigned in early July despite reported attempts from owner Arte Moreno to persuade him to stay on board. Dipoto quickly landed an interim post in the Red Sox’ front office, and less than three months after walking away from the Angels, he was named the new GM in Seattle.
There’s a narrative that Dipoto’s constant activity rendered the Mariners’ farm bare early in his tenure, and while there’s probably some truth within that generalization, it’s equally important to note that he inherited a losing club with a relatively high payroll and an already-poor minor league system. That was four and a half years ago, though. How have things worked out for Dipoto since? Let’s take a (very long) look! Trades are in chronological order and exclude particularly minor swaps. (More details on each trade is available in the “acquired” link on each bullet.)
2015-16 Offseason
- Acquired RHP Nate Karns, LHP C.J. Riefenhauser and OF Boog Powell from the Rays in exchange for 1B Logan Morrison, INF Brad Miller and RHP Danny Farquhar
- Acquired RHP Joaquin Benoit from the Padres in exchange for RHP Enyel De Los Santos and INF Nelson Ward
- Acquired OF Leonys Martin and RHP Anthony Bass from the Rangers in exchange for RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, OF James Jones and PTBNL (INF/OF Patrick Kivlehan)
- Acquired INF Luis Sardinas from the Brewers in exchange for OF Ramon Flores
- Acquired C Steve Clevenger from the Orioles in exchange for 1B Mark Trumbo and LHP C.J. Riefenhauser
- Acquired LHP Wade Miley and RHP Jonathan Aro from the Red Sox in exchange for RHP Carson Smith and LHP Roenis Elias
- Acquired 1B Adam Lind from the Brewers in exchange for RHPs Freddy Peralta, Carlos Herrera and Daniel Missaki
2016 Season
- Acquired RHP Nick Vincent from the Padres in exchange for cash
- Acquired RHP Zach Lee from the Dodgers in exchange for INF/OF Chris Taylor
- Acquired LHP Wade LeBlanc from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash
- Acquired 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach and RHP Paul Blackburn from the Cubs in exchange for LHP Mike Montgomery and RHP Jordan Pries
- Acquired RHP Drew Storen and cash from the Blue Jays in exchange for RHP Joaquin Benoit
- Acquired LHP Ariel Miranda from the Orioles in exchange for LHP Wade Miley
- Acquired RHP Arquimedes Caminero from the Pirates in exchange for two PTBNLs (RHP Pedro Vasquez and LHP Jake Brentz)
- Acquired SHP Pat Venditte from the Blue Jays in exchange for PTBNL (INF/OF Tim Lopes)
- Acquired OF Ben Gamel from the Yankees in exchange for RHPs Juan De Paula and Jio Orozco
2016-17 Offseason
- Acquired C Carlos Ruiz from Dodgers in exchange for LHP Vidal Nuno
- Acquired INF Danny Valencia from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Paul Blackburn
- Acquired INF Richie Shaffer and INF/OF Taylor Motter from the Rays in exchange for 1B Dalton Kelly, RHP Andrew Kittredge and RHP Dylan Thompson
- Acquired LHP James Pazos from the Yankees in exchange for RHP Zack Littell
- Acquired SS Jean Segura, OF Mitch Haniger and LHP Zac Curtis from the D-backs in exchange for INF/OF Ketel Marte and RHP Taijuan Walker
- Acquired RHP Rob Whalen and RHP Max Povse from the Braves in exchange for C/OF Alex Jackson and PTBNL (LHP Tyler Pike)
- Acquired RHP Chris Heston from the Giants in exchange for PTBNL (RHP Tyler Herb)
- Acquired RHP Yovani Gallardo and cash from the Orioles in exchange for OF Seth Smith
- Acquired OF Jarrod Dyson from the Royals in exchange for RHP Nate Karns
- Acquired OF Mallex Smith and RHP Shae Simmons from the Braves in exchange for LHPs Luiz Gohara and Thomas Burrows
- Acquired LHP Drew Smyly from the Rays in exchange for OF Mallex Smith, LHP Ryan Yarbrough and INF Carlos Vargas
2017 Season
- Acquired RHP David Phelps from the Marlins in exchange for RHP Pablo Lopez, OF Brayan Hernandez and RHP Lukas Schiraldi
- Acquired LHP Marco Gonzales from the Cardinals in exchange for OF Tyler O’Neill
- Acquired RHP Erasmo Ramirez from the Rays in exchange for RHP Steve Cishek
- Acquired 1B Yonder Alonso from the Athletics in exchange for OF Boog Powell
- Acquired RHP Ryan Garton and C Mike Marjama from the Rays in exchange for INF Luis Rengifo, LHP Anthony Misiewicz and PTBNL (INF Osmy Gregorio)
- Acquired LHP Andrew Albers from the Braves for cash
- Acquired RHP Mike Leake, $750K of international bonus space and $17MM from the Cardinals in exchange for INF Rayder Ascanio
2017-18 Offseason
- Acquired 1B Ryon Healy from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Emilio Pagan and INF Alexander Campos
- Acquired RHP Nick Rumbelow from the Yankees in exchange for LHP JP Sears and RHP Juan Then
- Acquired 2B Dee Gordon and $1MM of international bonus space from the Marlins in exchange for RHP Nick Neidert, RHP Robert Dugger and INF Christopher Torres
2018 Season
- Acquired LHP Roenis Elias from the Red Sox in exchange for cash
- Acquired OF Denard Span, RHP Alex Colome and $4.75MM from the Rays in exchange for RHPs Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero
- Acquired RHP Sam Tuivailala from the Cardinals in exchange for RHP Seth Elledge
- Acquired LHP Zach Duke from the Twins in exchange for RHP Chase De Jong and INF Ryan Costello
- Acquired RHP Adam Warren from the Yankees in exchange for $1MM international bonus space
- Acquired OF Cameron Maybin from the Marlins in exchange for INF Bryson Brigman and $250K international bonus space
2018-19 Offseason
- Acquired LHP Justus Sheffield, RHP Erik Swanson and OF Dom Thompson-Williams from the Yankees in exchange for LHP James Paxton
- Acquired C Omar Narvaez from the White Sox in exchange for RHP Alex Colome
- Acquired OF Jarred Kelenic, RHP Justin Dunn, RHP Gerson Bautista, RHP Anthony Swarzak and OF Jay Bruce from the Mets in exchange for 2B Robinson Cano and RHP Edwin Diaz
- Acquired SS J.P. Crawford and 1B Carlos Santana from the Phillies in exchange for SS Jean Segura, RHP Juan Nicasio and LHP James Pazos
- Acquired 1B Edwin Encarnacion and Competitive Balance Draft pick from Indians in three-team deal sending 1B Carlos Santana and $6MM from Seattle to Cleveland (Indians also traded INF Yandy Diaz, RHP Cole Sulser to Rays; Rays traded 1B/OF Jake Bauers to Indians and sent $5MM to Mariners in deal)
- Acquired OF Domingo Santana from Brewers in exchange for OF Ben Gamel and RHP Noah Zavolas
- Acquired 2B Shed Long from the Yankees in exchange for OF Josh Stowers (Mariners were third team in trade sending Sonny Gray from New York to Cincinnati)
- Acquired C Tom Murphy from the Giants in exchange for RHP Jesus Ozoria
2019 Season
- Acquired RHP Connor Sadzeck from the Rangers in exchange for RHP Grant Anderson
- Acquired RHP Mike Wright from the Orioles in exchange for INF Ryne Ogren
- Acquired RHP Austin L. Adams from the Nationals in exchange for LHP Nick Wells and cash
- Acquired LHP Jesse Biddle and injured RHP Arodys Vizcaino from the Braves in exchange for RHP Anthony Swarzak and cash
- Acquired INF Jake Scheiner from the Phillies in exchange for OF Jay Bruce and $18MM
- Acquired RHP Juan Then and cash from the Yankees in exchange for 1B Edwin Encarnacion
- Acquired RHP Matt Magill from the Twins for cash
- Acquired INF Daniel Castro from the Dodgers in exchange for INF/OF Kristopher Negron
- Acquired LHP Taylor Guilbeau and RHP Elvis Alvarado from the Nationals in exchange for LHP Roenis Elias
- Acquired LHP Aaron Fletcher from the Nationals in exchange for RHP Hunter Strickland
- Acquired INF Jose Caballero from the D-backs in exchange for RHP Mike Leake
2019-20 Offseason
- Acquired RHP Adam Hill and a Competitive Balance Draft pick from the Brewers in exchange for C Omar Narvaez
- Acquired LHP Nestor Cortes Jr. from the Yankees in exchange for $28,300 international bonus space
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How do MLBTR readers feel about Dipoto’s landslide of trade activity? (Link to poll for Trade Rumors mobile app users.)
Interested in how other GMs hold up under this exercise? We’ve covered Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen, recently fired Astros president Jeff Luhnow, Brewers president of baseball ops David Stearns, Angels GM Billy Eppler, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich, Tigers GM Al Avila, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos and Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins as well.
