The Mariners have agreed to a minor-league deal with outfielder Jayson Werth, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Potential salary terms are not yet known.
Werth will open his time with the Seattle organization in extended spring camp, per Divish. It seems likely he’ll report to Triple-A Tacoma from there.
The 38-year-old, 15-season MLB veteran, found little interest on the market this winter. It’s still a bit curious that he waited until camp finished to take a deal, though that’s perhaps subject to multiple possible interpretations.
It has been a few years since Werth was a productive major-league hitter. He turned in a quality three-year stretch for the Nationals between 2012 and 2014, but has been a .233/.322/.402 hitter ever since. While he still runs the bases rather well, Werth isn’t much of a defender at this stage.
Werth has also dealt with quite a few injuries in recent seasons. Perhaps, though, he could still provide some value in a part-time role. There isn’t a terribly clear path even to a bench spot at the moment with the M’s, but the club already made a late move to add the ageless Ichiro Suzuki and does have some potential uncertainty in the outfield mix.
Yikes
Ichiro, Werth… would’ve been nice if this was six years ago.
No kidding! The M’s have made horrible offseason decisions yet again. I like the Nicasio and Gordon additions, a lot! But how does an organization that used 17 different SPs and broke a ML record of 40 used in one season not go out and sign/trade for more pitchers? Just for depth. Our starting 1B, LF and RF positions and #4/5 SP goes down in ST- injuries happen in baseball. At least Werth is a fraction better than Ichiro- and that’s debatable!
They added Ramirez, Gonzalez, and Leake the end of last year….that’s why
They’re stocking up on ancient mariners.
There’s a rhyme to that theory.
Well played!
Now they need Lackey
More like 12…
Sounds like what the Braves do normally getting good players way past there prime.
It’s a minor league deal everyone stop panicking
I try to keep too much bias out of my comments but Werth is such a dirt bag. I can’t stand the guy.
Just the way he left Philly, dissing the city, fans and everything left a really bad taste in my mouth. Then the multiple reckless driving charges didn’t help his case.
He didn’t stay with the Phillies because they didn’t offer him a contract. They were so sure Dominic Brown was going to be a star. Maybe Werth dissed the city and its fans because they were mercilessly heckling him for leaving, even though you can’t work at a place if they don’t offer you a job. Of course, the Phillies went to two World Series with him, and immediately began to decline once he left.
He is beloved in Washington. One of the nicest professional athletes I have ever known and a class act. Smart player. Clutch player. I’m sorry he didn’t end his career in Washington, but unlike a Phillie fan, I understand that he can’t play where he isn’t offered a contract. Wish him nothing but the best.
Ok, that’s bullshit. He was offered a contract, not as good as the Nats’ offer but one was offered.
I don’t really get this. He left Philly only after expressing a desire to stay, the Phils said they were going in a different direction, and then he got offered a truck full of money to play baseball elsewhere. Seems like he made pretty rational decisions on that front.
This. All day. He wanted to stay here. The organization wasn’t interested. Even after all the “Werth every penny” signs people brought to the games. Another team offered him a ton of money and he took it. He isn’t from here. He wasn’t brought up through the system. He made a business move, and was treated poorly here after he did what was best for him. If you say you wouldn’t do the same, you’re only fooling yourself.
It seems to me that the Phillies offered him a contract but the Nationals gave him a six year deal for a whole lot of money.I actually thought that they were bidding against themselves.He was a fairly good player who was a late bloomer,but I was amazed that a team as bad as the Nationals were then would do such a thing.Fortunately for them they had a good scouting staff,as Strasburg and Harper have come through big time and their cellar dwelling days have been over since they signed Werth.
Philly fans are the worst. Stop booing people for everything. And then get all offended when people leave. It was even hard rooting for the Eagles to beat the Patriots because both fan bases are full of clowns.
It’s never hard to root for the team playing the New England Patriots…..
You clearly have a good factual handle on everything.
fans worse than Philadelphia:
1) New York Mets fans
2) Yankees fans
3) Pats fans
4) Indy Driving fans
5) Trump fans
Werthless player
Sotp
Worthless comment.
*Werthless comment
they have ichiro why sign him but instrasting
ones a minor league signing and the other is a major league signing.
Good signing Mariners
What do M’s fans think of Mitch Hangier? I recently picked him up in fantasy baseball thinking he may have a chance to get regular AB’s in RF. Saw lots of potential and injury. What level do you guys think he can get to this year? Signings like Werth here although not incredibly threatening, seem to send a message that they aren’t entirely comfortable with their OF but obviously depth is never a bad thing.
He was on quite the tear to start the year last year and was leading ALROY voting before he got hurt and Judge took off. If he can stay healthy I’d say there’s a reasonable chance he does well for you
How was he leading the ALROY voting? They vote once at the end of the year. Doesn’t make sense.
Well he would have been.
MLBN had him at #9 for RFers even with the little playing time he had. He was crushing the ball got hit in the face and took awhile to get back the confidence he had before. Then he got some small nagging injuries. The year under his belt should do him good and if he stays healthy should see some good pitches with the lineup around him.
The Mariners should sign Jose Bautista too. That way, if they could get Ichiro, Werth, and Bautista in outfield at the same time they could have the oldest outfield of the modern era. Maybe AARP will sponsor it!
heard that they are looking into Vernon Wells.
I’m glad to see he got a chance to play somewhere, he’s come a long way since being the scrawny glasses welding catcher in the orioles system.. lol still my favorite rookie card signature.. is he going to take you to World Series no, but for damn sake it’s a minor lg deal depth piece, ya all need to chill. He’s not there to take at bats from Haniger, it’s simply insurance for a team who has already seen their fair share of injuries, if he in fact stays healthy on the AAA bus trips is another story ha
why? depth?
Keep raiding old folks home
Mariners r trying to assemble a early 2000s all star team. Ask the Knicks how raiding All Star teams from 10 years ago got them!
Werth is worthless at this point. He looks like a Neanderthal, so he should just retire to a cave somewhere. Suzuki is twice the player Werth is right now, even at Ichiro’s advanced age. Werth will be nothing more than a .225 hitter with an OBP south of .300.
All the above comments are relevant, great thread. But we come now to praise Jayson Werth, not to bury him. On May 16, 2008, I and our kids were in the stands when he mightily hit 3 home runs and knocked in 3 RBIS in a great imitation of Jimmy Foxx and Babe Ruth. That night, his reputation was cemented. He beat out Geoff Jenkins and Shane Victorino for the RF starting spot–not shabby. He overcame a broken wrist and surgery to come all the way back to being a star at age 28-29–who does that? He put up three seasons of 30+ HR and stellar defense for the Phils, while the Phils were stringing together back to back WS appearances, a world championship and 5 straight NL East pennants.
Jayson Werth was a huge part of that.
On the free agency, the Nats gave Werth $120 M over 6 years–but Werth was age 31 after 2010. He was entering a decline phase age. While he delivered 10 WAR in the first 4 seasons, he went to negative WAR the last two for a net of less than 10 WAR–actually less WAR than the Phils got for far less $$$.
But I will say, Werth was by far the Phils and Nats best postseason player. The guy is a GOD in postseason play. His OPS in 2 WS were 1.361 and .996, and his lifetime OPS in postseason is .893 — I won’t be mean, but let’s face it–the reason the Nats haven’t gotten out of the first round of the playoffs ISNT JAYSON WERTH. The guy gets on fire in the playoffs.
Which is why i think this could actually be a good signing for the Ms. Jayson Werth is a GREAT postseason hitter. He’s a guy you can add to the Playoff Roster, and use to pinch hit. His lifetime postseason OBA is .363, OPS .893–he will walk, hit, hit a homer, and he has a really high baseball IQ.
NOTE; his parents were athletes, his grandpa and uncle were Schofield senior and junior. The guy comes from baseball royalty. I just think it’s no lose for the Ms, if they sneak into the Wild Card, there are few guys I’d hate to face more in the bottom of the 9th than Jayson Werth with the game on the line.
baseball-reference.com/players/w/werthja01.shtml
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayson_Werth
Art Kyriazis
Molecular Biologist/biostatistician
sometime SABR guy
215-300-5108
ajkbiotech@icloud.com
PPBI, Inc.
Arthur-comments and suggestion-thank you for the information on Werth.I did not know in my previous post the amount of the contract but even just six years ago that was a whole lot of money for a non superstar.
I admire your bravery in posting bio information.I am a veteran at reading this column but new at posting and I have never seen that before.
I think a few athletes can rise to the occasion during post season games and Werth seems to be one of them.That should be a serious consideration for teams that are likely to reach the post season.
Are the Mariners one of them?
Finally,I suggest that you consider leaving any political comments like the one in your previous post out so as to not incite anyone.This is a baseball discussion vehicle that is remarkedly free of any controversy such as that.Aside from a few trolls and know-it-alls the commenters are generally very knowledgeable about the game and sport that we all love.Just a suggestion.
Of course you shouldn’t post anything that will incite anyone on the Internet ! You wouldn’t want to say anything to make someone mad now would you? Since nobody else ever does that at all ! LoL!