Seattle Mariners acquire Mike Wright because Jerry Dipoto was bored

The Seattle Mariners have acquired Mike Wright for minor leaguer Ryne Ogren, probably because Jerry Dipoto had not made a deal in weeks.

It was almost time to put out an All Points Bulletin for Jerry Dipoto. The Seattle Mariners general manager had been quiet lately, having not made a deal in weeks. After all, this is the man who made a trade from his hospital bed, and jumps into trades as the third team seemingly just because. He was due to make a trade.

Fortunately, Dipoto has found his way back to the telephone. The Mariners made a trade on Wednesday, acquiring pitcher Mike Wright from the Baltimore Orioles for minor leaguer Ryne Ogren.

Wright has not exactly been a dominant arm during his time in Baltimore. In fact, he has been downright mediocre, with a lifetime 5.95 ERA and a 1.545 WHiP in 242 career innings. This season has been even worse, as he posted a 9.45 ERA and a 2.025 WHiP in 13.1 innings for the Orioles before being designated for assignment.

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In exchange, the Orioles actually received something that could be of use. A 12th round draft pick last season, Ogren settled in as a utility infielder, posting a .245/.338/.349 batting line with three homers and five steals in 222 plate appearances. He had struggled to start this year, with a .159/.229/.318 batting line, striking out 11 times in 48 plate appearances.

Even with those struggles, Ogren is still far more than the Orioles could have expected in exchange for Wright. Yes, the former third round pick had once been one of the better prospects in their system, but that speaks more to the quality of the Baltimore minor leagues than it does Wright’s potential.

At this point, Wright does not have any minor league options left, which requires the Mariners to keep him on the major league roster. One could argue that he is a better relief option than Shawn Armstrong, but Armstrong has more of a track record of success. However, he is likely to be the player sent back to AAA to make room for Wright.

In the end, it is a minor move. Still, one has to wonder if this was a move that Dipoto really needed to make. There are other relievers that could have been available, or possibly other options in the minors that could have been promoted. However, chances are, Dipoto was just bored since he had gone so long without making a trade.

Jerry Dipoto is back and making moves. The Seattle Mariners acquired Mike Wright from the Baltimore Orioles just because they could.