As the September 1st deadline draws near for players to be on active rosters to have playoff eligibility, the St. Louis Cardinals have completed a trade which sends Mike Leake to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league shortstop Rayder Ascanio.
In addition to Leake, the Cardinals also included cash considerations and $750,000 of International Slot money for the current signing period to the Mariners.
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Ascanio is expected to be assigned to Palm Beach (A+) and a corresponding roster move to fill the Cardinals 25-man roster should be announced tomorrow.
The trade, which was first reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, required Leake to both clear waivers and approve of the deal as he had a full no trade clause.
“Mike gives us an experienced starter that will help us as we navigate our way towards a playoff spot this season,” said Seattle GM Frank Dipoto via press release. “As one of the most durable starters over most of the last decade, he’ll be a valuable addition for not just the near future, but for seasons to come.”
This year, Leake was 7-12 with a 4.21 ERA in 26 starts for the Cardinals. Overall, he has gone 16-24 with a 4.46 ERA in his 56 starts since signing as a free agent with the team in December of 2015.
The 21-year old Ascanio split this season between low-A Clinton and high-A Modesto, while also appearing in 3 games with AAA Tacoma. In a combined 111 games this season, he has hit .217 (85-392) with 25 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs and 44 RBIs.
Signed by Seattle on Dec. 6, 2012 as an international free agent out of Mariara, Carabobo, Venezuela, Ascanio began his professional career in 2013 in the Venezuelan Summer League.
photo credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
