Hot Stove alert! Mariners complete six-player trade with Tampa Bay

SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners made the first big player move of the Jerry Dipoto era, announcing  a six-player trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday evening.

The M’s traded away first baseman Logan Morrison, utility player Brad Miller and right-hander Danny Farquhar.  In return, they picked up right-hander Nathan Karns, left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser and minor league outfielder Boog Powell.

“As I said when I was hired, we need to get more flexible, more athletic and build pitching depth,” Dipoto said in a press release. “This trade allows us to do all three. Powell brings speed, defense and on-base percentage to the table and could be ready to help us as soon as 2016, while Karns and Riefenhauser give us young, but experienced, pitching options.”

The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish tweeted that Karns is expected to join the rotation immediately, and that talks had been in progress for about a month.

Karns went 7-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 27 games with the Rays last year, 26 of which were starts. He led AL rookies in innings pitched (147), strikeouts (145) and starts.