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Winter Meetings: Mariners continue to retool

By John Perrotto, The Sports Xchange
Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto, left, hands Norichika AokI a Mariners Cap. The Mariners have signed free agent outfielder Norichika AokI to a one-year contract with a vesting mutual option for the 2017 season at SAFECO Field on December 3, 2015 in Seattle. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI
1 of 3 | Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto, left, hands Norichika AokI a Mariners Cap. The Mariners have signed free agent outfielder Norichika AokI to a one-year contract with a vesting mutual option for the 2017 season at SAFECO Field on December 3, 2015 in Seattle. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI | License Photo

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Seattle Mariners hardly look like the team Jerry Dipoto inherited when he was hired as general manager in October.

Dipoto made yet another move to reshape the roster Monday, as the Mariners acquired left-handed starter Wade Miley and right-handed reliever Jonathan Aro from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for left-handed starter Roenis Elias and right-handed reliever Carson Smith.

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It marked the first significant trade of Major League Baseball's Winter Meetings, a four-day event that began Monday at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center.

Miley is the second starting pitcher Dipoto has acquired. He picked up right-hander Nathan Karns from the Tampa Bay Rays on Nov. 5 in a six-player trade that began a flurry of moves designed to retool a team that went a disappointing 76-86 last season after being a trendy preseason pick to win the World Series.

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The Mariners also have acquired closer Joaquin Benoit from the San Diego Padres in a trade, dealt with the Texas Rangers for center fielder Leonys Martin and right-hander Anthony Bass and signed catcher Chris Iannetta and left fielder Nori Aoki as free agents.

It is all in an attempt to build a roster that better fits Safeco Field, relying more on pitching and defense and less on power hitting. That is a formula former GM Jack Zduriencik got away from before being fired late last season.

"We didn't go into the garden with a spade. We went in with a backhoe," cracked Dipoto, who resigned as the Los Angeles Angels' GM last season following conflicts with manager Mike Scioscia. "I think we've effectively restricted the way our offense moves and the way our defensive is positioned."

Miley, 29, is the headliner in the Monday deal, as he is expected to take the place of Hisashi Iwakuma as the No. 2 starter behind Felix Hernandez.

Iwakuma is reportedly close to signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who also have a tentative trade in place to acquire closer Aroldis Chapman from the Cincinnati Reds after losing star right-hander Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks last Friday in free agency.

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The Red Sox acquired Miley from the Diamondbacks at last year's meetings, and he went 11-11 with a 4.46 ERA in 32 starts in his only season in Boston. He has two years and $14.75 million left on his three-year, $19.25 million contract with a $12 million club option for 2018 with a $500,000 buyout.

Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was happy to acquire Smith, a 26-year-old who had 13 saves and a 2.31 ERA in 70 games this year.

"He's gives us another power arm out there, gives us more depth," Dombrowski aid.

--The first day of the meetings took on a Festivus feel with filings of grievances.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo acknowledged that closer Jonathan Papelbon filed a grievance with the Major League Baseball Players Association over being suspended without pay by the team Sept. 28 after he got into a dugout altercation with teammate Bryce Harper.

There has been speculation that the Nationals, who are already looking to trade Papelbon, might now outright release him. However, Rizzo said the team is proceeding with the idea that he will be back in Washington in 2016.

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"Pap's a part of this team. He's on our roster," Rizzo said. "He's a really good late-inning pitcher. He's had a great career, and we're glad he's on the club and can't wait to see him closing out games again."

Rizzo also scoffed the idea that the grievance would further ratchet up tensions between the 35-year-old right-hander and the team.

"That's business," Rizzo said. "It's not personal."

Meanwhile, third baseman Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs and Maikel Franco of the Philadelphia Phillies filed grievances claiming that their teams intentionally kept them in the minor leagues at the start of last season -- both players' rookie year -- in order to manipulate their service time and delay their eligibility for free agency by a year.

--The Kansas City Royals re-signed free agent right-hander Chris Young to a two-year, $11.5 million contract, and manager Ned Yost said the 36-year-old veteran likely will be a member of the rotation next season.

Young, 36, was a swingman this year as the Royals won their first World Series title since 2015. He made 18 starts and 16 relief appearances while compiling an 11-6 record and 3.06 ERA.

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"He's an unbelievable competitor and a special person," Yost said. "His contributions were invaluable, just not on the mound but with the leadership and professionalism he brought to our clubhouse. He was a big part of our success."

GM Dayton Moore confirmed that the Royals have a three-year, $25 million deal in place with Joakim Soria, pending the right-handed reliever passing a physical examination. Soria will join Kelvin Herrera in a setup role, taking the place of right-hander Ryan Madson, who agreed to a three-year, $22 million free agent contract with the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

Senior writer John Perrotto is The Sports Xchange's baseball insider. He has covered Major League Baseball since 1988.

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