Josh Lueke was once involved in a major trade between the Mariners and Rangers; he was part of the multi-player deal that sent Cliff Lee to Texas in July 2010. Lueke didn't make the major leagues until last summer, when he posted a 6.06 ERA and 1.439 WHIP in 25 relief appearances.
Mariners Trade Josh Lueke To Rays For John Jaso
And now, he is moving on again, sent to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for catcher John Jaso, according to a press release from the team. In the release, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik said:
“John gives us a left-handed hitting catcher with some big league time who is still young. His left-handed bat will be a nice compliment to our right-handed hitting group. He’s a tough kid with postseason experience and should be a nice fit with us.”
Jaso is 28 and has caught in 181 games for the Rays over the last two seasons, hitting .246/.342/.368 with 10 HR and 71 RBI in 677 plate appearances. He'll likely become the backup to starter Miguel Olivo.
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