Mariners acquire RHP Erasmo Ramirez from Tampa Bay

Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipotoannounced today that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Erasmo Ramirez from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Steve Cishek.
"Erasmo brings us a good combination of experience, versatility and control as we look to both be better in 2017, and in future seasons," Dipoto said. "We've added depth to our pitching staff in a variety of ways and maintained flexibility as we move forward with a player that is under club control for 2017, 2018 and 2019."
Ramirez, 27, was 4-3 with 1 save, 6 holds and a 4.80 ERA (37 ER, 69.1 IP) with 55 strikeouts in 26 games, including 8 starts. As a reliever, he posted a 3.23 ERA (11 ER, 30.2 IP) with 23 strikeouts in 18 appearances, while limiting opponents to a .189 (20x106) average with a .232 on-base percentage. He is under team control through the 2019 season.
In six Major League seasons with Seattle (2012-14) and Tampa Bay (2015-17), he is 29-32 with 3 saves and a 4.23 ERA (249 ER, 530.0 IP) with 409 strikeouts in 171 games, including 71 starts. In his minor league career, he was 50-26 with a 3.26 ERA (246 ER, 678.2 IP) with 546 strikeouts in 119 games, including 112 starts.
Ramirez was traded by Seattle to Tampa Bay on March 31, 2015 in exchange for left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery. The native of Rivas, Nicaragua was originally signed by Seattle in 2007 and made his Major League debut in 2012, posting a 3.36 ERA (22 ER, 59.0 IP) in 16 games, including 8 starts that season.
Cishek, 31, was 1-1 with 1 save and a 3.15 ERA (7 ER, 20.0 IP) with 15 strikeouts in 23 relief appearances since being activated from 10-day disabled list. He began the season on the 10-day disabled list on March 31 as he was recovering from surgery to repair a left hip labrum tear. Since being signed by Seattle as a free agent on Dec. 14, 2015, he was 5-7 with a 2.89 ERA (27 ER, 84.0 IP) with 91 strikeouts in 85 relief appearances.
In parts of eight Major League seasons with Florida/Miami (2010-15), St. Louis (2015) and Seattle (2016-17), he is 22-27 with 121 saves and a 2.83 ERA (125 ER, 397.0 IP) with 423 strikeouts in 396 relief appearances. The native of Falmouth, Mass., was originally selected by the Marlins in the 5th round of the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Carson-Newman College (TN).