MLB trade rumors: Mariners acquire Yonder Alonso

The Seattle Mariners have acquired first baseman Yonder Alonso from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for outfielder Boog Powell.

The Oakland Athletics under Billy Beane have been known to do this year in and year out. Right as soon as a player starts to play well, the A’s try to flip him to another team for future prospects. Beane does it every year with starting pitchers and now he’s done it with their everyday first baseman.

The Athletics have traded first baseman Yonder Alonso to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Boog Powell.

https://twitter.com/Athletics/status/894243019183996928

The AL West is the toughest division in baseball, because the Houston Astros are just dominating. The Mariners at 56-55 are 14.5 games back of the Astros and the A’s are the bottom-feeders of the division.

The Mariners are 1.5 games back of a AL Wild Card berth and are trying to make a push to get into the playoffs. With the addition of Yonder Alonso, the Mariners get some pop in their lineup and some help at first base.

Seattle rolls out Danny Valencia at first base, but there’s potential for that to change with Alonso coming into town. The former Oakland slugger is batting .266 this season, to go along with 22 long balls and 49 runs driven in. In Seattle, Alonso will slot right into the middle of the lineup behind Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano. The Mariners have some serious power through the heart of their lineup, that’ll be tough to deal with come October — if they make the playoffs.

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This season has been a coming out party for the Athletics’ first baseman and just as he was starting to pick up steam, Beane and the A’s moved him to a division rival. Although Alonso might have been open to returning to Oakland after this season, Beane didn’t even wait to take a chance. In return, the Athletics got outfield Boog Powell.