Mariners ship Ruggiano to Dodgers for cash

By Greg Johns

August 31, 2015

HOUSTON -- Outfielder Justin Ruggiano, who opened the season with the Mariners but has been in Triple-A Tacoma the past three months, was traded to the Dodgers on Monday night for cash.

Ruggiano, 33, is a seven-year Major League veteran with a career line of .255/.319/.427 in 434 games. He hit .214 with two homers and three RBIs in 36 games with Seattle before being designated for assignment and then outrighted to Tacoma in early June.

Ruggiano played his first three seasons with the Rays, then two years with the Marlins before spending last season with the Cubs. He was acquired last winter by Seattle in a trade for Minor League reliever Matt Brazis.

The Mariners initially planned to platoon him in right field with Seth Smith, but Nelson Cruz wound up playing a lot more right field than expected, and Ruggiano's playing time was limited. He hit .296 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 49 games for Tacoma.

Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog.