MARINERS IMPROVE OF WITH RUGGIANO
The Seattle Mariners acquired outfielder Justin Ruggiano from the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Matt Brazis.
What does it give the Seattle Mariners
In Ruggiano, the Mariners land a serviceable outfielder who can play every day if need be. He's a streaky hitter and a far better option in a platoon system, so look for him to wind up sharing time in left field with left-hand-hitting {P Dustin Ackley} in Seattle. The M's continue to seek help in right field, so Ruggiano might become an option there as well, if they don't get what they want.
What does it give the Chicago Cubs
The young Cubs have several young prospects that need playing time in the bigs, so moving veteran Ruggiano at this time makes sense. Look for Cuban outfielder {P Jorge Soler} to take over right field on a regular basis in 2015. Brazis is a 24-year-old reliever with a bit of upside. He struck out 34 batters in 33 innings at Double-A Jackson this past season, but isn't quite ready for the big leagues.
Fantasy impact
Ruggiano might see more playing time in Seattle if he lands the starting job in right field, which is still viewed as a long shot. Now that he's in a notorious pitchers' park in Seattle, Ruggiano is nothing more than a fantasy dark horse. As for Brazis, he might register on the fantasy radar eventually but won't challenge for a spot in Chicago's bullpen for at least another year.
