Photo via Pixabay u/vhines
The Mariners are used to having a revolving door, with their general manager Jerry Dipoto having the itchiest trade trigger finger in MLB. But if there was one moment players could feel safe holding onto their home lease in Seattle, it would be when Dipoto was in the hospital, right? Well…On Thursday, Dipoto decided he didn't need any rest for his wicked self, despite being hospitalized for blood clots in his lungs, because he went ahead and brokered a trade from his hospital bed anyway:
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And it wasn't an uncomplicated trade either. Per the Seattle Times, Dipoto needed both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Indians involved in order to pick up first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnación. In exchange, the Mariners sent first baseman/designated hitter Carlos Santana—whom Dipoto had just picked up from the Phillies on December 3 [deep breath] not two hours after trading Robinson Cano to the Mets—back to the Indians. The Rays then received first baseman Jake Bauers from the Indians, in exchange for third baseman Yandy Diaz. But wait, there's more.Dipoto then secured $5 million from the Rays, so that he could then go ahead and send $6 million to the Indians.The absurdity of Dipoto trading from his hospital bed aside, it seems that Dipoto is, thankfully, recovering well and will be released from the hospital today:
According to MLB.com, Dipoto has made over 60 trades since becoming Seattle's GM in 2015, with the Rays being the most frequent team he trades with. He's even traded and reacquired two players—Patrick Kivlehan and Anthony Misiewicz—and once had a player (Mallex Smith) for just an hour, in the process of trying to Frankenstein his team up. He's traded in every month of the year since becoming Seattle's GM in 2015—except October, when, you know, baseball has other things on its mind.But the hospital bed trade surely will stand out as the craziest. The man can't quit.