BREAKING: Giants Land Cy Young Pitcher in Trade

The San Francisco Giants have been trying all winter to land themselves a big time starter for their rotation, but with free agency not quite going the way they’d hoped, they’ve turned to the trade market. And with that, the Giants have landed former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray from the Seattle Mariners in a huge deal.

Source confirms: Giants acquire LHP Robbie Ray from Mariners for OF Mitch Haniger and RHP Anthony DeSclafani. Mariners also working on second trade with Rays, one involving an exchange of major-league position players. First on Giants deal: @JeffPassan.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 5, 2024

In return, the Mariners reacquire a familiar face in outfielder Mitch Haniger, along with receiving right-hander Anthony DeSclafani.

Ray was a Cy Young winner with the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2021 season, going 13-7 woith a 2.84 ERA and 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He signed a massive 5-year, $115M free agent deal with the Mariners after that season, and went 12-12 with a 3.71 ERA in 2022 with Seattle. He missed nearly all of last year due to Tommy John surgery, after an injury suffered in his first start of the season.

Haniger had spent five seasons with the Mariners, blasting 107 home runs and earning an All-Star berth in 2018. But after an injury-plagued season in 2022, he left in free agency last winter to join the Giants. Haniger was once again dogged by injuries, and played just 61 games for the Giants, batting just .209 with a .631 OPS. He hit six home runs along with 28 RBIs in 229 plate appearances.

DeSclafani is a 9-year veteran with a career 4.20 ERA, and while he doesn’t rack up the strikeouts, he does limit walks to a minimum, issuing just 1.8 per nine innings last season.

Photo: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports