Angels trade Kendrys Morales to the Seattle Mariners for Jason Vargas

The Angels traded Kendrys Morales to the Seattle Mariners for Jason Vargas.  The signing of Josh Hamilton last week by the Angels made Kendrys Morales expendable.  Morales had a productive 2012 season for the Angels by hitting .273 with 22 home runs and 73 runs batted in.  He should continue that kind of productivity for the Mariners and could possibly have better numbers this coming season.

Photo by Keith Allison / Wikimedia Commons

Jason Vargas will be a welcome addition to the Angels starting rotation.  It is sort of a homecoming for Vargas since he pitched with Jered Weaver during their college days at Long Beach State.  He went 14-11 with a 3.85 earned-run average in 33 starts last season, striking out 141 and walking 55 in 217 1/3 innings.  Over the past three seasons Vargas has had a minimum of 30 starts and pitched a minimum of 190 plus innings.   

This was a fit for both teams since both players are in their final years of arbitration.  Morales is a free agent after this coming season and Vargas can potentially leave but he provides depth to the Angels rotation.

Robert W. Ekberg is a staff writer for SportsOutWest and Los Angeles based sports writer

Follow him on Twitter @Robek24