Rangers Acquire RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, OF James Jones, and PTBNL From Mariners

The Texas Rangers today announced that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen, outfielder James Jones, and a player to be named later from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Leonys Martin and right-handed pitcher Anthony Bass.

Wilhelmsen, who turns 32 next month, was 2-2 with a 3.19 ERA (22 ER/62.0 IP) and 13 saves over 53 appearances with Seattle in 2015. He was on the 15-day disabled list from April 11-May 7 with a hyperextended right elbow, and pitched 4.0 scoreless innings while on option with Triple-A Tacoma from July 3-16. Over his final 17 games last season beginning August 17, he had a 0.95 ERA (2 ER/19.0 IP) with 11 saves.

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound right-hander has compiled a 2.97 ERA with 67 saves over 267 games/2 starts in his major league career, all with the Mariners from 2011-15. His 67 saves are tied for 5th-most in Seattle history. The Tucson native was originally selected by Milwaukee in the seventh round of the 2002 June draft, but did not play professionally for four years from 2005-08 before returning to the mound and signing with Seattle in 2010. Over his 5 seasons with the Mariners, Wilhelmsen held right-handed batters to a .179 average and .546 OPS figure.

Jones, 27, has batted .238 in 136 major league games with the Mariners over the last 2 seasons (2014-15), including 28 games across 3 stints with Seattle in 2015. The left-handed batter and thrower has played all 3 outfield spots and gone 28-for-30 in stolen bases attempts at the big league level. The Brooklyn, New York native spent the balance of last season with Triple-A Tacoma, ranking among the Pacific Coast League leaders in both triples (T6th, 7) and stolen bases (T10th, 25). He is currently batting .327 (36-110) with 7 doubles, 2 triples, a home run, 9 RBI, and 10 walks over 28 games with Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Martin batted .219 with 5 home runs and 25 RBI in 95 games with the Rangers last season. He has spent his entire career in the Texas organization since signing as a non-drafted free agent on May 4, 2011. Bass had no record and a 4.50 ERA over 33 appearances in his first campaign with the Rangers in 2015, spending nearly the entire season on the 25-man roster.

With today's trade, the Rangers still have 35 players on the team's major league roster.