Last week, the Arizona Diamondbacks traded first baseman Cooper Hummel to the Seattle Mariners. In return, they received centerfielder Kyle Lewis. Now, that may not seem like such a major trade. Lewis hit just .143/.226/.304 for Seattle, and Hummel hit .176/.234/.307 for Arizona. On the surface, it is simply a trade of two underperforming players who will get fresh starts elsewhere. However, it is also the fourth instance in which the Diamondbacks have lost a former Brewers player to the Mariners. For years, there has been a weird Brewers-Diamondbacks-Mariners pattern that few have recognized.
1. Richie Sexson
One of the biggest trades in the recent history of the Milwaukee Brewers started this weird trade pattern. The Brewers shipped All-Star first baseman Richie Sexson to the Arizona Diamondbacks for six players, including current Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell. In addition to Counsell, the Brewers received catcher Chad Moeller, second baseman Junior Spivey, first baseman Lyle Overbay, and pitchers Chris Capuano and Jorge de la Rosa.
Sexson’s tenure with the Diamondbacks lasted just 23 games. He was injured for the majority of the 2004 season. He became a free agent that winter and signed with the Seattle Mariners. All in all, the Brewers came out WAY ahead of the Diamondbacks in that trade.
2 and 3. Jean Segura and Mitch Haniger
The Milwaukee Brewers acquired Jean Segura from the Los Angeles Angels in the trade that sent Zach Greinke to LA. Segura spent three and a half seasons with Milwaukee, and was an All-Star in 2013. In perhaps one of the most regrettable trades in recent memory, the Brewers shipped him to Arizona in exchange for Chase Anderson, Aaron Hill, and Isan Diaz (Diaz was part of the trade that brought Christian Yelich to Milwaukee). Segura led the National League with 203 hits the very next season.
Now, if you do not remember seeing Mitch Haniger in a Brewers uniform, do not worry: he never played for the Brewers on the Major League level. However, the Brewers did draft him in the first round of the 2012 amateur draft. Two years later, the Brewers sent him to the Diamondbacks, along with Anthony Banda, for outfielder Gerardo Parra. Haniger, an outfielder, broke into the Big Leagues with Arizona in 2016.
After the 2016 season, the Diamondbacks traded both Segura and Haniger to the Mariners for Ketel Marte and Taijuan Walker. Both players were All-Stars for the Mariners in 2018. Segura hit .304/.341/.415 with 10 home runs, 63 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. Haniger hit .285/.366/.493 with 26 home runs and 93 RBI. In 2021, Haniger finished 20th in AL MVP voting by hitting .253/.318/.485 with 39 home runs and 100 RBI.
Both players are currently free agents.
4. Cooper Hummel
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Cooper Hummel in the 18th round of the 2016 amateur draft. Like Haniger, he did not break into the Majors with the Brewers before being traded. Milwaukee sent him to the Diamondbacks ahead of the trade deadline last season in exchange for Eduardo Escobar.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Hummel struggled in his first taste of Big League action with Arizona. However, history has sure been kind to former Brewers who have traveled to Seattle via Arizona. Richie Sexson did not make any All-Star teams there, but he did have two 30+ home runs and 100+ RBI seasons there.
Hopefully (for them), Hummel can keep the successful streak going.
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