MLB trade rumors: Mariners ‘working to finish’ deal sending C Mike Zunino to Rays for OF Mallex Smith

The Mariners may have decided to move on from 2012 first-round pick Mike Zunino.

According to the Seattle Times, Seattle is working to finish a deal that would send the catcher, along with outfielder Guillermo Heredia, to the Rays for center fielder Mallex Smith.

Sources: The Mariners are working to finish a trade that would send catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia to the Rays in exchange for outfielder Mallex Smith. Deal could be finalized in the next day.

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The trade is reportedly not done yet.

Zunino was drafted with the third-overall pick in 2012 out of Florida. He had a breakout year in 2017, smashing 25 home runs while batting a career-best .251.

He regressed in 2018 as his average fell to .201, but he still hit 20 home runs and talled 44 RBIs.

Smith is coming off of a career year with the Rays in which he batted .296 with two home runs, 40 RBIs and 65 runs scored.

The Mariners declined veteran outfielder Denard Span’s $12 million option for this season, so Smith would presumably join an outfield featuring Mitch Haniger and Dee Gordon.

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Heredia would have gotten some time in that outfield had he not been included in the potential deal. The 27-year-old batted .236 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 292 at-bats in 2018.

This comes one day after Yahoo Sports reported the Mariners were contemplating a “full-blown rebuild” of their roster.

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