OAKLAND, Calif. – Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the Mariners have acquired right-handed pitcher Juan Then in exchange for first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnación and cash considerations. Then will report to Short-Season-A Everett, the Mariners affiliate in the Northwest League.

With today’s transactions, the Mariners Major League, 40-man, roster is now at 39 players.

Then, 19, has been pitching in Extended Spring Training this season. In 11 starts with the GCL Yankees in 2018, he went 0-3 with a 2.70 ERA (15 ER, 50.0 IP). The 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-hander limited opponents to a .210 (38x181) average, while walking 11 and striking out 42. Then held opponents to 3 earned runs or fewer in 10 of his 11 starts, including allowing 1 earned run or fewer in 7 starts.

Then was originally signed by Seattle as an international non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2016. He began his professional career with the DSL Mariners in the Dominican Summer League in 2017, going 2-2 with 2.64 ERA (18 ER, 61.1IP) in 13 starts. He limited opponents to a .220 (50x227) average, while walking 15 and striking out 56 in a team-high 61.1 innings. Then was acquired by the New York Yankees along with minor league left-handed pitcher JP Sears from Seattle in exchange for right-handed pitcher Nick Rumbelow on Nov. 18, 2017.

 Encarnación, 36, hit .241 (58x241) with 48 runs, 7 doubles, 21 home runs, 49 RBI, 41 walks, a .356 on-base percentage and a .531 slugging percentage (.888 OPS) in 65 games with Seattle this season. He is currently leading the American League with 21 home runs, including hitting 8 home runs over his last 11 games (6/1-current). Encarnación also ranked among the AL leaders in RBI (T3rd, 49), runs scored (T4th, 48), walks (T9th, 41) and slugging percentage (15th, .531). The 6-foot-1, 230-pound right-handed hitter eclipsed the 20-home run plateau for the 8th season consecutive season, joining Nelson Cruz (11 - 2009-18; 11 in 2019), Giancarlo Stanton (9 - 2010-18; 0 HR in 2019) and Andrew McCutchen (8 - 2011-18; 10 HR in 2019). Kyle Seager (7 - 2012-18; 4 HR in 2019) and Mike Trout (7 - 2012-18; 18 HR in 2019) each have recorded at least 20 home runs in each of the last 7 seasons. Encarnación was acquired along a compensatory Round B draft pick by the Mariners from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for first baseman Carlos Santana on Dec. 13, 2018.

The native of La Romana, Dominican Republic, Encarnación was originally selected by Texas in the 9th round of the 2000 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Manuela Toro High School (Caguas, Puerto Rico). In 15 Major League seasons with the Reds (2005-09), Blue Jays (2009-16), Indians (2017-18) and Mariners (2019), he is a career .263 (1763x6704) with 401 home runs, 1,205 RBI, 870 walks, a .353 on-base percentage and a .498 slugging percentage (.851 OPS) in 1,872 career games. Encarnación is a 3-time All-Star, most recently in 2016 with Toronto when his 127 RBI tied with David Ortiz for the American League lead.