On December 3, 2018, the Mariners and Mets completed a blockbuster trade. The Mets acquired two stars in Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano, while Seattle picked up two big-name prospects for the duo. It’s been five years since the trade, so it makes sense to take a glance at how the deal has worked out for both sides. Here’s a look at the Edwin Diaz-Robinson Cano trade five years after it all went down.
Related: Revisiting the Paul Goldschmidt Trade: Five Years Later
The Mets’ Return
| Position | Name | bWAR in MLB since trade | bWAR with Mets |
|---|---|---|---|
| RP | Edwin Diaz | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| 2B | Robinson Cano | 0.2 | 1.1 |
After a disappointing 2018 campaign, the Mets hired Brodie van Wagenen to be the team’s new GM. van Wagenen immediately made a splash with the acquisition of Cano and Diaz.
At the time of the deal, Diaz had come off a terrific 2018 campaign that saw him strike out 124 batters over 73.1 IP, record an MLB-high 57 saves, and finish eighth in the AL Cy Young that season. As for Cano, the veteran infielder hit .303/.374/.471 with 10 home runs and 32 extra-base hits over 80 games.
There were, however, risks.
One, the cost at the time of the deal was considered high for a high-priced second baseman and a reliever, given that the Mets gave up two former first-round picks and highly-touted prospects at that. Second, Cano — who was 36 years old at the time of the trade and had five years left on his deal — missed half of the 2018 campaign due to a PED suspension, and what production he could deliver after it was unknown.
The trade got off to a very rough start in 2019. Cano’s OPS dipped to .736 and was benched in May for not running out ground balls. As for Diaz, the All-Star reliever saw his ERA skyrocket to 5.59 and had some forgettable meltdowns in his first season as New York’s closer.
Things, however, calmed down for Diaz as time went on. Diaz’s 2020 numbers (1.75 ERA, 50 K over 25.2 IP) were much better and the 29-year-old has his best year in 2022. That year, Diaz struck out 118 over 62 innings and gave up just nine runs the whole season thanks to his overpowering fastball/slider combo.
Cano did have a fine second season with the Mets in 2020, as he hit .316/.352/.544 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI in the shortened season. However, Cano tested positive for PEDs again after that season and was subsequently suspended for all of 2021. He played just 12 games in 2022 before he was DFA’d by the Mets.
The Mariners’ Return
| Position | Name | bWAR in MLB since trade | bWAR with Mariners |
|---|---|---|---|
| SP | Justin Dunn | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| OF | Jarred Kelenic | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| OF | Jay Bruce | 0.6 | 0.3 |
| RP | Anthony Swarzak | -0.2 | -0.3 |
| RP | Gerson Bautista | -0.3 | -0.3 |
There were a number of moving parts in the Edwin Diaz-Robinson Cano trade. Seattle sent $20 million in cash to New York and took on the salaries of both Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak. In return, the M’s were able to jumpstart a rebuild with the acquisition of prospects Justin Dunn and Jarred Kelenic.
Dunn was a former first-round pick in 2016 who struck out 105 batters over 89.2 IP in Double-A in 2018. The hope was that Dunn could be at least a middle of the rotation that can miss bats and Seattle got their first look at the righty in 2019 after a strong year with Arkansas (AA).
Dunn saw extensive time in 2020 and 2021 with the Mariners and pitched to the tune of a 3.94 ERA over 102.2 IP. However, he walked 69 batters in that time.
Seattle traded Dunn in March 2022 in the Jesse Winker–Eugenio Suarez deal. The righty threw just 31 innings between 2022-23 thanks to shoulder problems.
The other key piece in the deal was Jarred Kelenic. Kelenic was drafted sixth overall out of high school in 2018 and scouting reports indicated he could be a five-tool player. Kelenic raced up to the Majors and made his debut in 2021 — but things went south fast.
Between 2021-22, Kelenic hit just .168/.251/.338 despite the fact that he belted 21 home runs over 147 games.
However, Kelenic managed to make some adjustments after 2022 and became more upright at the plate (can be seen below). That has reportedly helped him avoid chasing out of the zone and his numbers in 2023 (.253/.327/.419, 11 HR, 38 XBH in 105 G) were improved.
Kelenic had a career bWAR of 0.0 at the end of 2023, despite a 2.0 figure that season.
Bruce and Swarzak didn’t spend much time with the Mariners, as the two were traded back to the NL East in 2019. Seattle dealt Swarzak to the Braves in May 2019, while Bruce went to Philadelphia in June.
Bautista made just eight appearances in the Majors after the deal. The hard-throwing righty gave up 11 earned runs over nine innings.
The Verdict
Five years after the Edwin Diaz-Robinson Cano trade, each team is down to one player. And thus far, the Mets are the ones who have come out on top.
While Diaz’s first year in Queens was chaotic, the 29-year-old established himself as one of the game’s best closers.
As for the Mariners, Kelenic’s made strides over the years. No, it hasn’t been easy for the outfielder since his arrival at the MLB level. However, the 24-year-old’s proven he can hit in the Majors. Now, it’s just a matter if he can stay consistent moving forward.