Seattle Mariners’ Mitch Haniger takes a swing during an at-bat against the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 28, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Seattle Mariners’ Mitch Haniger takes a swing during an at-bat against the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 28, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Mitch Haniger returns to Mariners in deal with Giants for Robbie Ray

Seattle also acquires right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani from San Francisco. Later Friday, Seattle received Luke Raley from Tampa Bay in a separate deal.

SAN FRANCISCO — Robbie Ray was traded from Seattle to San Francisco on Friday for outfielder Mitch Haniger and pitcher Anthony DeSclafani in a swap of underperforming players coming off injuries.

The deal sends Haniger back to the Mariners, where he played five seasons before signing with the Giants as a free agent. Seattle also gets DeSclafani and $6 million from San Francisco for Ray, who won the 2021 AL Cy Young Award with Toronto. The left-hander finalized a $115 million, five-year contract with the Mariners in November 2021.

Later on Friday, the Mariners sent base-stealing infielder José Caballero to the Tampa Bay Rays for outfielder Luke Raley.

Ray, 32, pitched 3.1 innings against Cleveland on March 31 in Seattle’s second game, then went on the injured list the next day and had season-ending Tommy John surgery and a flexor tendon repair on May 3 performed by Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister.

San Francisco President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi is confident Ray can help his club in the second half of 2024 as the Giants try to contend again under new manager Bob Melvin after two straight years out of the playoffs.

“Robbie’s obviously a big piece for us and fills what we saw as the ideal of a No. 2 starter who had a different style than Logan Webb and complemented him well,” Zaidi said. “Robbie’s a power lefty who misses a lot of bats and before this injury had a really good track record of durability.”

Haniger spent 2017-22 with Seattle, then left to sign a $43.5 million, three-year contract with the Giants.

He hit a career-low .209 with six homers and 28 RBI last year, a season interrupted when he broke his right forearm when hit by a pitch on June 13. Haniger came back Aug. 31 and batted .159 with six RBI over his final 21 games.

An All-Star in 2018, Haniger hit .253 in 2021, when he set career highs with 39 homers and 100 RBI. He has a .256 career average with 118 homers and 351 RBI in seven seasons.

“Our hope is that he comes in, and as I spoke to him today, is to play right field as frequently as he can play right field, and we’ll just wade into the water and see what it looks like,” Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto said.

DeSclafani, 33, was 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA in 18 starts and one relief appearance last year, striking out 79 and walking 20 in 99.2 innings. The right-hander was on the injured list from July 3-17 because of shoulder fatigue and didn’t pitch after July 23 because of a right elbow flexor strain.

DeSclafani has a 54-56 career record and 4.20 ERA in 169 starts and 11 relief appearances. Dipoto said DeSclafani likely would begin the season as a swing or long man working out of the bullpen, assuming everyone is healthy.

“The positives here for us are that we really add to our opening-day roster,” Dipoto said, “and if we look at the 162-game schedule, I think we feel more confident about the way our team looks starting on opening day today than we did yesterday, and that’s a positive.”

Ray, an All-Star in 2017 with Arizona, is 74-71 with a 3.96 ERA in 222 starts and four relief appearances over 10 seasons. He had a no-trade provision that expired Sunday.

While the Giants are hopeful Ray will spend three years with the club, he does have an opt-out following the 2024 season.

“There’s sort of plenty of room with what he has left on his contract for him to pitch well and opt in for those last couple of years,” Zaidi said, noting Ray “looks great physically” and is throwing out to 90 feet during his rehab regimen.

San Francisco will send Seattle $1 million on the first of each month from April through September this year.

Haniger is owed $17 million this year and $15.5 million in 2025. He gets a one-time $1 million assignment bonus due to the trade.

Ray, who also gets a one-time $1 million assignment bonus, is owed $73 million from the remaining three seasons of his contract: $23 million this year and $25 million each in 2025 and 2026.

DeSclafani receives $12 million in the final season of a $36 million, three-year deal.

The 27-year-old Caballero swiped 26 bases in 2023, his first season in the majors. He batted .221 with four homers and 26 RBI over 104 games.

Raley, 29, hit .249 with 19 home runs, 23 doubles and 49 RBI in 118 games for the Rays in 2023, but his season ended Sept. 23 because of a cervical strain.

“We would see him primarily as a corner outfielder, and primarily hitting against right-handed pitching,” Dipoto said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas fist bumps a camper at the third annual League Advantage Youth Football Camp at Lucas' alma mater, Archbishop Murphy High School, on Saturday, June 28, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Seahawks’ Abraham Lucas hosts football camp at alma mater

The Archbishop Murphy alum hosts around 125 local kids for a free day of football activities.

Top recruit Kaleo Anderson commits to Virginia Tech WBB

The King’s guard was The Herald’s 2025 Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

NBA free agency 2025: Analysis from Day 1

Day 1 of free agency is in the books, and we don’t… Continue reading

Texas State to join the Pac-12, allowing it to qualify as FBS conference

The Pac-12 officially has its eighth football-playing member. The conference announced on… Continue reading

Everett AquaSox pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throw against the Tri-City Dust Devils at Funko Field on May 10, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Shari Sommerfeld / Everett AquaSox)
Jurrangelo Cijntje, Lazaro Montes named to Futures Game

One current Everett AquaSox player and two former ones have… Continue reading

Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Vote for the Frog of the Week

Who is the Frog of the Week? Vote for the Everett AquaSox… Continue reading

AquaSox pitcher Evan Truitt throws a pitch during Everett's 19-8 loss to the Eugene Emeralds at Funko Field on Sunday. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed a grand slam in the fourth inning, the third one given up by the AquaSox this week. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Up Hit’s Creek: AquaSox blown out by Eugene in homestand finale

Two position players combine to pitch final 4 innings due to gassed bullpen in 19-8 loss.

AquaSox pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje delivers a pitch during Everett's 9-3 loss to the Eugene Emeralds at Funko Field on Saturday. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
AquaSox scoring woes continue in loss to Eugene

Trouble plating runners and a fourth-inning blow-up on the mound doom Everett in 9-3 loss.

Kevin Harvick (right) speaks at the Mark Galloway 150 Shootout media lunch alongside his son, Keelan, at Evergreen Speedway on Friday. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
NASCAR legend set to return to Evergreen Speedway

Kevin Harvick and his son, Keelan, will face off in the Mark Galloway 150 Shootout on Saturday.

Everett Silvertips’ Carter Bear on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Carter Bear becomes Silvertips’ first NHL first-round pick in 10 years

The Detroit Red Wings select the forward 13th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday.

Everett AquaSox pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje throws against the Spokane Indians at Funko Field on May 31, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Evan Morud / Everett AquaSox)
AquaSox switch-pitcher’s long path leads to Everett

High-A baseball represents just another step in Jurrangelo Cijntje’s journey.

Lake Stevens’ Teegan Lawson maneuvers over the pole in the 4A boys high jump final on Saturday, May 31, 2025 in Tacoma, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Wesco all-league boys track teams announced

Wesco has announced its all-league teams for boys track. WESCO 4A First… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.