SEATTLE SWAPS FOR SPEEDY OF JARROD DYSON
The Seattle Mariners acquired outfielder Jarrod Dyson from the Kansas City Royals for pitcher Nathan Karns.
What does it give the Seattle Mariners
These days the Mariners seem to be looking to play more to their ballpark's strengths--it's pitcher-friendly--and Dyson's excellent speed and defense make him a perfect fit for that approach. He stole 30 bases in only half a season's worth of at-bats with the Royals last season (299) and projects as Seattle's new starting left-fielder. He might also compete for the leadoff role in Seattle, though there are other candidates.
What does it give the Kansas City Royals
Karns has shown the ability to strike batters out at the major league level--270 over 265.1 career innings--and is a solid depth piece for Kansas City's rotation. The Royals will probably try him out as their much-needed No. 5 starter, but he has the ability to be a long man out of the 'pen as well. He's a solid risk-reward type of acquisition for KC, which made Dyson expendable after acquiring outfielder Jorge Soler from the Cubs.
Fantasy impact
Both of Dyson and Karns should be more appealing fantasy-wise after this trade than they were before it. Dyson looks like he'll be a mostly everyday starter for Seattle, and if so he'll be among the majors' top base-stealing threats (although that's probably his only fantasy appeal). Consider him a late-to-mid-round draft option. Karns is less appealing, but may be a solid sleeper if he can nail down a rotation spot and keep striking guys out. On Seattle's roster, Guillermo Heredia loses a lot of '17 fantasy potential with the arrival of Dyson (since Heredia moves from possible starter to likely fourth outfielder); meanwhile on the KC side of things, rotation option Chris Young probably loses any fantasy value he may have retained after last season's drop-off.
