Mariners Acquire LHP Zach Duke from Minnesota
Seattle sends RHP Chase De Jong and INF Ryan Costello to the Twins
Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the Mariners have acquired left-handed pitcher Zach Duke and cash considerations from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Chase De Jong and minor league infielder Ryan Costello.
Duke, 35, is 3–4 with 12 holds and a 3.62 ERA (15 ER, 37.1 IP) in 45 games with the Twins this season. He has limited left-handed hitters to a .237 average (14x59) with 16 strikeouts and just 2 extra-base hits (2B, 3B) in 2018. Duke has not allowed a home run this season, one of just three AL pitchers to appear in at least 30 games without allowing a homer.
Duke ranks 10th among active left-handed pitchers in career games (513); his 298 appearances since the start of the 2014 season are fourth-most among lefties. Duke is one of three active pitchers (Oliver Perez & Joe Blanton) with at least 150 relief appearances and 150 starts in his Major League career. He began his career as a starter before moving to the bullpen at the end of 2012. Seattle is the 9th organization he’s pitched for in his career, joining Pittsburgh (2002–10), Arizona (2011), Washington (2012–13), Cincinnati (2013), Milwaukee (2014), Chicago-AL (2015–16), St. Louis (2016–17) and Minnesota (2018). In his career in relief, he is 17–14, 3.20 (109 ER, 306.1 IP) in 344 games. Overall, Duke is 64–89 with a 4.28 ERA (629 ER, 1322.0 IP) in 513 games, including 169 starts.
De Jong (dee YOUNG), 24, is 5–5, 3.80 (51 ER, 120.2 IP) in 21 starts with AA Arkansas this season. He was named a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star this year. Seattle acquired De Jong from Los Angeles-NL on March 1, 2017. Last season he pitched with Seattle (0–3, 6.35 in 7 games, including 4 starts), AAA Tacoma (3–6, 6.00 in 15 starts) and Arkansas (1–3, 5.97 in 5 starts). He is 39–35, 3.92 (297 ER, 681.2 IP) in 134 minor league games, including 122 starts.
Costello, 22, batted .266 (92x346) with 24 doubles, 2 triples, 16 home runs and 70 RBI in 101 games with Single-A Clinton this season. He recorded 21 multi-hit games, including 7 games with 3 hits and 2 multi-home run games. In 2017, Costello led the Rookie AZL Mariners in total bases (90), batting .331 (47x142) with 13 doubles, 3 triples, 8 home runs and 38 RBI.
The 6–2, 200-pound infielder was selected by Seattle in the 31st round (933rd overall) of the 2017 MLB First Year Player Draft from Central Connecticut State University. In two minor league seasons with the Mariners, Costello batted .285 (139x488) with 37 doubles, 5 triples, 24 home runs and 108 RBI in 145 career games.
