There has to be another level to this deal because the Mariners have Zunino behind the plate, unless they are thinking of moving him to 1B, which I would doubt. It's a salary dump for the Mariners and the Orioles don't need Clevenger with Wieters back in the fold for at least one year, so those aspects make sense. It also indicates Chris Davis is not going back to Baltimore.
Supposedly it wasn't even clear that Seattle was going to tender Trumbo, so maybe they just figured they'd get whatever they could and Clevenger was the best they could do.
There has to be another level to this deal because the Mariners have Zunino behind the plate, unless they are thinking of moving him to 1B, which I would doubt. It's a salary dump for the Mariners and the Orioles don't need Clevenger with Wieters back in the fold for at least one year, so those aspects make sense. It also indicates Chris Davis is not going back to Baltimore.
I think Zunino is just going to be playing in AAA next season, for at least a good chunk of the year. He was terrible last year, and starting the season in AAA is likely the right call.
EDIT: Personally, I don't really the downside for the O's. Trumbo is a very flawed player, but I'd take him over Clevenger any day of the week.
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