We have our first major trade of the offseason. The Rays and Mariners have announced a six-player trade that sends first baseman/outfielder Logan Morrison, righty reliever Danny Farquhar and utility man Brad Miller to Tampa Bay in exchange for righty starter Nathan Karns, lefty reliever C.J. Riefenhauser and outfield prospect Boog Powell.The trade is the first for new Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto, who took over last month. He replaced Jack Zduriencik, who was let go during the team's disappointing 2015 season. 
Dipoto resigned as Angels GM at midseason after losing a power struggle with manager Mike Scioscia. Owner Arte Moreno sided with Scioscia.Miller, 26, is the key piece for the Rays. He's a career .248/.313/.394 (101 OPS+) hitter who can play shortstop -- a position of need in Tampa -- but also has experience all over the infield and outfield. Expect to hear quite a bit of "the next Ben Zobrist" talk when Miller is discussed, though that is rather optimistic.Morrison, 28, gives the Rays another option at first base, designated hitter and the corner-outfield spots. James Loney is entrenched at first base, but DH is open and the Rays like to rotate players in the outfield based on platoon matchups. Morrison is a career .246/.326/.416 (106 OPS+) hitter.The Mariners got two nice years out of Farquhar -- he had a 3.34 ERA (110 ERA+) in 126 2/3 innings -- before he fell apart in 2015, pitching to a 5.12 ERA (74 ERA+) in 51 innings. Seattle originally acquired him from the Yankees in the Ichiro Suzuki trade. Farquhar is a bounce-back bullpen candidate for Tampa.As for the Mariners, they're clearing up their first base/DH logjam by moving Morrison while also rebuilding some pitching depth. The team can now play Mark Trumbo at first base and Nelson Cruz at DH while letting some better defenders roam the spacious Safeco Field outfield.Karns, 27, is the main piece heading to the Mariners. He pitched very well this past season, his first full year as a big leaguer, posting a 3.67 ERA (107 ERA+) in 147 innings across 26 starts and one relief appearance. Karns struck out 145 batters. He figures to step right into Seattle's rotation alongside Felix Hernandez and Taijuan Walker.In Riefenhauser, the Mariners landed a true lefty specialist, complete with a funky delivery and everything.Riefenhauser, 25, has bounced back and forth between Triple-A and the majors the last two seasons. He has a 6.30 ERA (64 ERA+) in 20 career big-league innings and a 2.71 ERA in 113 Triple-A innings. Riefenhauser will be in the mix for a bullpen job come spring training.The Rays acquired Powell, 22, from the Athletics in the Zobrist trade last offseason. He hit .295/.385/.392 with 16 doubles, three home runs and 18 stolen bases in 114 games split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2015. MLB.com ranks Powell as the 13th-best prospect in Tampa Bay's system.The years-of-control aspect is important for this trade. Miller and Farquhar won't become free agents until after the 2019 season while Morrison will be a free agent after next season. Karns is under the Mariners' control through 2020 while Riefenhauser and Powell both have all six years of team control remaining.The Rays are hoping Miller turns into their long-term shortstop, or, at the very least, becomes a supersub who can capably play multiple positions. They have the pitching depth to spare, which is why they moved Karns. Dipoto, meanwhile, is trying to make his roster a bit more flexible.Mike Axisa/CBS Sports
Dipoto resigned as Angels GM at midseason after losing a power struggle with manager Mike Scioscia. Owner Arte Moreno sided with Scioscia.Miller, 26, is the key piece for the Rays. He's a career .248/.313/.394 (101 OPS+) hitter who can play shortstop -- a position of need in Tampa -- but also has experience all over the infield and outfield. Expect to hear quite a bit of "the next Ben Zobrist" talk when Miller is discussed, though that is rather optimistic.Morrison, 28, gives the Rays another option at first base, designated hitter and the corner-outfield spots. James Loney is entrenched at first base, but DH is open and the Rays like to rotate players in the outfield based on platoon matchups. Morrison is a career .246/.326/.416 (106 OPS+) hitter.The Mariners got two nice years out of Farquhar -- he had a 3.34 ERA (110 ERA+) in 126 2/3 innings -- before he fell apart in 2015, pitching to a 5.12 ERA (74 ERA+) in 51 innings. Seattle originally acquired him from the Yankees in the Ichiro Suzuki trade. Farquhar is a bounce-back bullpen candidate for Tampa.As for the Mariners, they're clearing up their first base/DH logjam by moving Morrison while also rebuilding some pitching depth. The team can now play Mark Trumbo at first base and Nelson Cruz at DH while letting some better defenders roam the spacious Safeco Field outfield.Karns, 27, is the main piece heading to the Mariners. He pitched very well this past season, his first full year as a big leaguer, posting a 3.67 ERA (107 ERA+) in 147 innings across 26 starts and one relief appearance. Karns struck out 145 batters. He figures to step right into Seattle's rotation alongside Felix Hernandez and Taijuan Walker.In Riefenhauser, the Mariners landed a true lefty specialist, complete with a funky delivery and everything.Riefenhauser, 25, has bounced back and forth between Triple-A and the majors the last two seasons. He has a 6.30 ERA (64 ERA+) in 20 career big-league innings and a 2.71 ERA in 113 Triple-A innings. Riefenhauser will be in the mix for a bullpen job come spring training.The Rays acquired Powell, 22, from the Athletics in the Zobrist trade last offseason. He hit .295/.385/.392 with 16 doubles, three home runs and 18 stolen bases in 114 games split between Double-A and Triple-A in 2015. MLB.com ranks Powell as the 13th-best prospect in Tampa Bay's system.The years-of-control aspect is important for this trade. Miller and Farquhar won't become free agents until after the 2019 season while Morrison will be a free agent after next season. Karns is under the Mariners' control through 2020 while Riefenhauser and Powell both have all six years of team control remaining.The Rays are hoping Miller turns into their long-term shortstop, or, at the very least, becomes a supersub who can capably play multiple positions. They have the pitching depth to spare, which is why they moved Karns. Dipoto, meanwhile, is trying to make his roster a bit more flexible.Mike Axisa/CBS Sports
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