The Seattle Mariners have acquired slugger Edwin Encarnacion from Cleveland, sending Carlos Santana back to the Indians as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Tampa Bay Rays, according to multiple reports Thursday.
The Indians will receive first baseman Jake Bauers from the Rays, while Tampa Bay will get third baseman Yandy Diaz from Cleveland, according to the reports. There are also other players to be named and compensation picks reportedly involved in the deal.
Encarnacion, who turns 36 in January, hit .246 with 32 home runs for the Indians last season. He was third in the American League with 107 RBIs.
Santana returns to the Indians, where he started his career before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency. He was traded to the Mariners in December.
Encarnacion mostly served as the Indians’ designated hitter in 2018 but also started 23 games at first base. Cleveland ranked 23rd in the majors last season with a .312 on-base percentage from their first basemen.
Overall, he has 380 career home runs with 1,156 RBIs and a .264 batting average.