Mariners trade Erasmo Ramirez to Rays for Mike Montgomery

That, and some other moves, in a Tuesday spring training transactions roundup.

Apr 1, 2015, 3:18 AM UTC

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Mariners traded right-handed starting pitcher Erasmo Ramirez to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Mike Montgomery, according to a team announcement.

Ramirez posted a 5.26 ERA (142 ERA-) in 17 appearances, 14 of which were starts, for the Mariners last season. The 24-year-old native of Nicaragua owns a 4.62 ERA (122 ERA-) in parts of three big league seasons. Ramirez was comfortably above average in his debut season, posting an 88 ERA- in 59 innings in 2012, but has failed to build on the strong start.

Montgomery -- a top 50 overall prospect each year from 2010-12 -- owns a 4.72 ERA with 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings during his seven-year minor league career. The No. 36 overall pick in the 2008 draft is just 25 years old and is coming off of his best season since 2012. Montgomery posted a 4.29 ERA with 7.0 SO/9 for Triple-A Durham in 2014.

Montgomery was part of the December 2012 trade that sent James Shields to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Wil Myers and other prospects.

Minor acquisitions

The Colorado Rockies dealt minor league catcher Audry Perez to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations, per a team release. Perez, 26, was a spring training non-roster invitee for the Rockies but reached base just twice in 13 Cactus League plate appearances. He spent seven seasons in the St. Louis Cardinals organization, posting a career .270/.293/.413 minor league line.
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed free-agent pitcher Freddy Garcia and acquired infielder Elliot Johnson from the Texas Rangers in exchange for cash, according to a team announcement. Garcia, 38, hasn't pitched in the majors since 2013, when he posted a 4.37 ERA in 80⅓ innings. Johnson, 31, reached base twice in 20 plate appearances for the Cleveland Indians last season. He's a career .215/.269/.316 hitter in the big leagues.