CLEVELAND, Ohio – Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the Mariners have acquired right-handed pitcher Austin Adams from the Washington Nationals in exchange for minor league left-handed pitcher Nick Wells and cash considerations.
With the acquisition of Adams, the Mariners Major League, 40-man, roster is now at 39 players.
Adams, 27 (turns 28 on May 5), who was optioned and will report to Triple-A Tacoma, was designated for assignment by Washington on April 30. He appeared in 1 game in relief with the Nationals on April 20 at Miami (1.0 IP, 1 ER) during a brief 3-game Major League stint, April 19-22. The 6-for-3, 210-pound, right-handed reliever, began the season with Triple-A Fresno, appearing in 8 games in relief. Overall he went 0-1 with 1 save and a 2.70 ERA (3 ER, 10.0 IP) at AAA. He has limited opponents to a .189 (7x37) average, while walking 3 and striking out 20.
Adams was originally selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 8th round of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of the University of South Florida. He was traded to Washington from Los Angeles in exchange for INF Danny Espinosa on Dec. 10, 2016. Adams made his Major League debut with the Nationals on July 15, 2017 at Cincinnati and in parts of 3 Major League seasons with Washington, he is 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA (3 ER, 7.0 IP) in 9 relief appearances. In 8 minor league seasons with Los Angeles-AL (2012-16) and Washington (2017-19), Adams is 15-14 with 26 saves and a 3.40 ERA (126 ERA, 333.2 IP) in 259 relief appearances.
Wells, 23, went 1-2 with a 7.91 ERA (17 ER, 19.1 IP) in 5 starts with High-A Modesto this season. The left-handed starter, allowed California League opponents to hit .303 (23x76), while walking 7 and striking out 21. Wells is currently on the 7-day injured list (fractured left wrist) after getting hit by a line drive in his last start on April 28 vs. Rancho Cucamonga.
Wells was acquired by Seattle along with left-handed pitchers Rob Rasmussen and Jake Brentz from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handed pitcher Mark Lowe on July 31, 2015. In parts of 5 seasons in Seattle’s minor league system, Wells went 18-29 with a 5.28 ERA (231 ER, 393.2 IP) in 84 games, 83 starts. He was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the 3rd round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Battlefield High School in Haymarket, Virginia. Overall in his minor league career combined between Toronto (2014-15) and Seattle (2015-19), Wells is 20-34 with a 5.28 ERA (270 ER, 460.1 IP) in 102 games, 94 starts.