SEATTLE -- The Mariners finally completed their July 30 trade with the Tigers on Wednesday, receiving right-handed reliever Chance Ruffin as the player to be named later in the deal that sent Doug Fister and David Pauley to Detroit.
Ruffin, 22, was drafted last year by Detroit as a first-round sandwich pick -- the 48th selection overall -- and appeared in two games for the Tigers earlier this season.
Ruffin will join the Mariners immediately and be available for Wednesday night's series finale against the Blue Jays at Safeco Field. To make room on the roster, the Mariners designated left-handed reliever Aaron Laffey for assignment and will have 10 days to trade, release or outright his contract.
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Ruffin's first career K
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7/25/11: Chance Ruffin strikes out Alexei Ramirez in the bottom of the seventh, the first strikeout of his Major League career
Tags: Chance Ruffin, pitching, Detroit Tigers, More From This Game
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Ruffin, a 6-foot, 185-pound Texan, has 19 saves and a 2.03 ERA in 44 games this season with Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo in the Tigers' farm system.
Seattle previously received outfielder Casper Wells and right-handed pitcher Charlie Furbush, both of whom are playing for the Mariners, as well as Double-A third-base prospect Francisco Martinez.
At the time of the trade, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said the club would also receive a "significant" player to be named later, with that player turning out to be the well-regarded Ruffin.
Because players can't be traded within the first year of signing their initial pro contract, Ruffin couldn't be included in the deal until now.
He's been pitching most recently in Toledo, posting a 1.84 ERA with nine saves in 13 appearances, with 17 strikeouts and six walks in 14 2/3 innings.
Ruffin struck out 43 batters in 34 innings in Erie, with a 2.12 ERA and 3-3 record in 31 games.
He pitched in two games for the Tigers in late July, with a 4.91 ER in 3 2/3 innings. The rookie allowed two solo home runs in a 1 2/3-inning debut at the White Sox but bounced back three days later with two scoreless frames, giving up two hits and striking out two against the Angels.
Ruffin was a standout starter at Texas before converting to a closer his junior year. His father, Bruce Ruffin, pitched for 11 years in the Major Leagues for the Phillies, Brewers and Rockies, from 1987-97.
Wells and Furbush have already fit in well at the Major League level. Wells has hit home runs in four straight games going into Wednesday's series finale with Toronto and is batting .341 (15-for-44) with 12 RBIs in 12 games for the Mariners.
Furbush is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA in four appearances for Seattle and is coming off seven innings of one-run ball in his last start against the Red Sox.
Martinez, 20, has hit .276 in 15 games for Double-A Jackson, with one home run and 11 RBIs.