The Seattle Mariners are acquiring Kolten Wong from the Milwaukee Brewers for Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro, per Ken Rosenthal. Seattle acquired Winker last offseason following his superb 2021 campaign. But he took a step back in 2022. Nevertheless, Winker and Toro could provide a boost for the Brewers' offense. Meanwhile, the Mariners are receiving a talented infielder in Wong.
Kolten Wong is due $10M in 2023, while Winker is set to make $8.25M. Meanwhile, Toro is eligible for arbitration. So the deal makes sense for both the Mariners and Brewers from a financial perspective.
The trade also benefits both teams from a talent standpoint. The Brewers recently traded Hunter Renfroe to the Los Angeles Angels. Renfroe was one of Brewers' best hitters in 2022, so they are hopeful Winker can re-find his form in Milwaukee. Abraham Toro is a good player with potential as well.
But Kolten Wong is the centerpiece of the trade. The second baseman is a former Gold Glove winner who profiles as a decent contact hitter. Wong slashed .251/.339/.430 with a .770 OPS in 2022. He added 15 home runs and 17 stolen bases. The Mariners believe he's a player who can improve their defense while adding offensive versatility.
This will be a big change for Wong, who has spent his entire 10-year big league career in the NL Central between the Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals.
The Mariners already traded for Teoscar Hernandez this offseason. They also dealt former AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis to the Arizona Diamondbacks. There is no question that Seattle has been one of the busiest teams during the offseason, and they will likely make quite a few more moves prior to the 2023 season.
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