With about 23 { hours remaining before the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, the Mariners made a second trade to bolster their bullpen, specifically situational relief.
Seattle acquired veteran left-handed reliever Zach Duke from the Minnesota Twins and cash considerations in exchange for a pair of minor league players: right-handed pitcher Chase De Jong, who was in the starting rotation for Class AA Arkansas, and infielder Ryan Costello, who has spent this season with the Class A Clinton. Sources also confirmed that the Mariners are acquiring right-hander Adam Warren from the Yankees.
Duke, 35, is 3-4 with 12 holds and a 3.62 ERA (15 earned runs, 37 1/3 innings pitched) in 45 games with the Twins this season. He has limited left-handed hitters to a .237 average (14 for 59) with 16 strikeouts and just two extra-base hits (double, triple) in 2018. He is one of just three American League pitchers to appear in at least 30 games without allowing a home run this season.
"Zach adds both experience and left-handed depth to our bullpen," general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "We believe he can be an importance piece for us over the balance of the season."
Dipoto had said previously that he'd ideally like to add a right-handed and left-handed situational reliever to provide some depth in the middle innings. He's done that over the last four days, acquiring Cardinals right-hander Sam Tuivailala on Friday and Duke and Warren on Monday.
Duke fills the role that has been left vacant since Marc Rzepczynski was designated for assignment in June. He will give the Mariners a lefty specialist to use against left-handed hitters in the middle innings. Hard-throwing James Pazos will still handle the later innings in a lefty set-up role. A former starter, this is his ninth team in 14 big league seasons.
De Jong, 24, was acquired during March of 2017 to provide starting pitching depth. He is 5-5 with a 3.80 ERA in 21 starts for the Travelers this season. He made his big league debut last season and appeared in seven games, going 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA.
Costello, 22, was batting .266 (92 for 346) with 24 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and 70 RBIs in 101 games with the LumberKings. He was a 31st-round selection in the 2017 draft out of Central Connecticut State.
