Ben Williamson didn’t have much warning when his Mariners run came to an end.
Seattle’s offseason move for All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan came together in a three-team deal on Feb. 2, and Williamson was part of the package sent out. The Mariners shipped top pitching prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje and another prospect, Tai Peete, to St. Louis, lost a compensatory draft pick, and sent Williamson to the Tampa Bay Rays.
For Williamson, the timing made the news even more jarring. He was at Mariners FanFest when the trade was taking shape, but he said he didn’t know he was in the middle of it until his agent got in touch.
“Yeah, I mean, I didn't really know that a trade was happening or if I was a part of a trade. I just remember the day of the trade, my agent called me and said, "Hey, there's rumors of a trade going on.
Your name was thrown around in it. Just don't be surprised by it."
Then later in the day, Jerry (Dipoto) called me and was like, "You're being traded to the Rays. Thank you for everything you've done for us, and good luck," basically.
It wasn't that cold, but it was basically like, "We appreciate everything, and we wish you well with the Rays."
Williamson’s first full look with Seattle came in 2025, when the second-round pick from the 2023 MLB Draft out of William & Mary played in 85 games as the Mariners went on to win the American League West. He wasn’t brought in for his bat - he hit .253 with one homer, 21 RBIs and an OPS+ of 76 - but he did provide strong defense before the team sent him to Triple-A at the trade deadline to make room for Eugenio Suarez.
Looking back on the move, Williamson called it bittersweet. The relationships he built in the Mariners’ system made the departure hard, but he also understood what the trade meant from Tampa Bay’s side.
“Yeah, I mean, it's obviously bittersweet. You came up with a bunch of guys through the system.
You got really close to a bunch of guys. So I think that was the hardest part, just the relationships I'd built with the Mariners and leaving those.
But at the same point in time, if a team's trading for you, you know that they have a plan for you, and they want you in their organization. So that was pretty nice, kind of having both ends of the spectrum."
Williamson discussed the trade on the latest edition of the “Refuse to Lose Territory” podcast as Seattle and Tampa Bay prepare for a three-game series this weekend in Tampa.
In Other News...
Mariners May Finally Break Their Draft Habit For A Bigger Need
The Mariners are heading toward the 2026 MLB Draft with the No. 24 pick and, as usual, the expectation is that theyll lean pitching. Seattle has built a strong pipeline on the mound, and the general sense around the draft board is that a college arm still fits the clubs recent habits and its organizational strength. But theres also a little more wiggle room than people might expect, with the front office said to have a wide range of players in play as it sorts through a class that could shape the next wave of the roster.
What makes this one worth watching is the possibility that Seattle could finally use a first-round pick on a bat instead of defaulting to another pitcher. Recent mock drafts have linked the Mariners to college hitters Ace Reese and Ryder Helfrick, which would be a notable shift for a team that has spent years building from the mound outward. With the offense still carrying more long-term uncertainty than the pitching staff, the idea of adding another impact hitter to the system has at least become part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Bigger 2026 Draft Test Than Fans Realize
Baseball America still has Seattle sitting fifth in its latest farm system rankings, a reminder that the organization has built real pitching depth and enough talent to stay in the upper tier of the sports prospect landscape. The Mariners have also done a good job of turning that system into major league help, which is part of the reason the pipeline now looks a little thinner than it did not long ago.
Scott Hunter and the front office are staring at a draft that will ask them to keep replenishing the stock even without the kind of draft position or bonus flexibility that makes the job easier. With more prospects on the verge of forcing their way to Seattle, the challenge is no longer just finding talent, but finding enough of it to keep the system from getting stretched too thin. [Read more 🡒]
Randy Arozarena's Controversial Play Leaves Mariners Fans Torn
Randy Arozarenas decision not to chase a foul pop-up in a recent game stirred up plenty of reaction from Mariners fans, but the explanation has been more medical than emotional. Manager Dan Wilson pointed to Arozarenas hamstring as a limiting factor, and Arozarena said plainly that he did not get to the ball, a small moment that quickly turned into a bigger conversation about effort, health and what Seattle can reasonably expect from one of its most dynamic players.
The broader issue for the Mariners is that Arozarena is not dealing with this alone. Dominic Canzone is also working through a sore hamstring, which has complicated Seattles lineup flexibility and kept the club from using Arozarena in a different role to ease the strain. With both players compromised, the Mariners are trying to balance short-term competitiveness with the reality that these injuries can affect more than one play at a time. [Read more 🡒]