8:08pm: Gearrin is set to earn $1.5MM, with another $1.25MM available in incentives, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports (via Twitter).
10:03am: The Mariners have agreed to a one-year, Major League contract with right-handed reliever Cory Gearrin, reports Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). It’s the second free-agent agreement of the day for Seattle, as the M’s also agreed to a one-year deal with Tim Beckham. Because the Mariners’ 40-man roster is currently at 39 players, they’ll need to make a move to open a spot for the pair of signings. Gearrin is represented by agent Bo McKinnis.
Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto has been open about his desire to add both a middle-infield “stabilizer” and at least one veteran reliever to the Major League roster recently, and the additions of Beckham and Gearrin fit the bill. While neither is a particularly exciting addition, they’re the type of moves one would expect for an organization that is currently in the midst of an on-the-fly rebuild. The addition of Yusei Kikuchi, of course, was a longer-term and far more significant splash, but the Mariners likely viewed the 27-year-old southpaw as an exception that aligned with the timeline of their long-term competitive vision.
Gearrin, 32, split the 2018 season between the Giants, Rangers and A’s, pitching to a combined 3.77 ERA with 8.3 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 1.10 HR/9 and a 41.5 percent ground-ball rate through 57 1/3 innings. However, the Athletics non-tendered him rather than pay him a projected $2.4MM through arbitration (via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz). Over the past two seasons, Gearrin has notched a combined 2.80 ERA with a 117-to-56 K/BB ratio in 125 1/3 innings of work over the past two seasons and will bring seven years of MLB experience to a Mariners bullpen that has been completely revamped this offseason.
Gone are recognizable names such as Edwin Diaz, Alex Colome, Juan Nicasio, James Pazos, Erasmo Ramirez and Nick Vincent — each of whom departed the organization either via trade or, in the case of Ramirez and Vincent, via outright. Gearrin will now join Anthony Swarzak as an elder statesman in the Seattle ’pen — assuming Dipoto doesn’t find a trade partner for Swarzak prior to Opening Day, that is.
The stove is burning!
Dipoto, please leave Haniger alone!
Nah, ship him to the Braves. The two make such a sensical partner; the Braves get 4 yrs of a cheap MLB Allstar to push their playoff window and the Ms get a haul of top tier, about to germinate prospects.
I’m a Mariners fan.
Would love to see Haniger in a Braves uniform. Definitely have the prospect capital to do so. Sadly, this is shifting towards a Mariners quick rebuild to try and capitalize before Hanigers contract ends. I’m imagining that he is staying put. BUT Dipoto is going to Dipoto.
I’m not sold on Haniger. I would rather keep the prospects and run Duvall out there this year.
You sir…are entitled to your opinion. Have a good day!
Going to have to move some prospects eventually. Looming at the end of the 2019 season: Big prospect names are up against the rule 5 clock.
I’d agree. I really like hainger and would like to see him “George springer” this team when they content in 2020+ BUTTTT I’d also like to ask the moon from the braves for him and see what we can get back. Either way imho the Ms win.
Haniger is one of my fantasy keepers. I’m just being completely selfish.
Haniger might be the player who requires the biggest return in the league. I’d assume it’s going to require a very painful package to give up to acquire him.
Mike Trout says hi
Agreed. No sense in keeping Haniger during the rebuild. I love him, he’s Dipoto’s ideal player, but the Mariners need to think long term.
Too much risk keeping Haniger over the next few years. What if he gets injured? What if he regresses? Might as well trade him at a high during a rebuild year.
I agree the braves and mariners make sence for Haniger trade. We need top of the rotation arms, they need an all star rf, and by 2021 season we have more options to play rf. Not all stars but good prospects
Lol well it is a rebuild (again) and there have to be a few low-cost veteran arms). Not a bad signing for this team. (sorry, this was supposed to be in response to acarneglia’s post.
When did ‘rebuild’ become a 4-letter word?
Even agents are pushing the idea. Nobody makes the finals EVERY year.
Rebuild not a bad thing by why sign Kikuchi then. That doesn’t really make much sense for a rebuild especially for a 4 year contract. If he’s good will leave when they become competitive or he’s just bad and stupid money
Say Hey Willie! If Kikuchi is good the Mariners have a three year option for a total of 7 years!
If Yusei Kikuchi is good he won’t have the option to leave if the Mariners exercise the option for four more years.
The Seattle front office aims to contend no later than 2021.
Thanks for the info.Also like the Say Hey tho not sure everyone gets it
Yes, it really is a team friendly contract.
It’s because Dipoto has been very explicit vocally and in action that he’s looking to 2020/ 2021 as the opening of the M’s next competitive window.
All young talent acquired fit that window except Kelenic (who is projected to be only just outside of it and this still previously very valuable in keeping the window open as long as possible). Kikuchi on his 3/4/7-year contract fits it perfectly. Haniger and Gonzales not being traded also fits it since they’ll both still be under arbitration when it opens again.
Lotta action today! Signing next will be…Benny…Agbayani…Ag-bay-ani.
This is probably the best comment in the history of MLB trade rumours.
No, … that (^) was.
I know this is way off topic but it’s too funny not to post.
A GoFundMe page to sign Manny!!
nj.com/sports/2019/01/spare-a-dollar-yankees-fan-m…
Add Boxberger or Strickland for more stability in the bullpen. The eventual idea being to trade them at the deadline if they perform well.
“Strickland” and “stability” in the same sentence. Wow …
Lol
Anyone who says “add Strickland” will regret it if it happens.
Hahaha you know Seattle’s bullpen is bad when they pick up the Giants discards.
A mostly solid middle guy, but he’ll drive you crazy nibbling at the strike zone.
He’ll also drive you crazy with how slow he works on the mound.
You can stop at “he’ll drive you crazy.”
In related news…….
Seattle general manager P.T. Bar…..umm Jerry Dipoto, announced the trade of Edwin Encarnacion and $5m to MLBTR in return for veteran writer Steve Adams. Adams was given a one year contract.
Encarnacion has seen his skills deteriorate from 45 WPM at his peak with the Blue Jays, to 38 WPM upon his trade to Cleveland, to 32 WPM in 2018 – placing him in the lower 20 percentile of typists in the AL.
Adams has no playing record, making this appear to possibly be a salary dump. Using his legendary signature progressive, foreword-thinking, creative approach – Dipoto has mapped out Adams’ responsibilities this year. Those will include mentoring young writers in the PR Department, sitting at the end of the bench with J.P. Crawford, and being sent down to AAA with him in late April.
Adams was unavailable for comment. Insiders leaked that upon hearing that his contract was for a guaranteed $875,000 in 2019 (plus lodging and meal money), Adams collapsed and was rushed by paramedics to a local hospital with a frozen smile on his face.
Ken Rosenthal tweeted that MLBTR president Tim Dierkes was in conference with his attorney’s and a Bankruptcy Court Judge, hoping to work out a deal in which Encarnacion would take over MLBTR.
Joel Sherman tweets that Encarnacion’s attorney’s contend that his days of being both a reporter and holding on-line chats are over. They expect him to receive his full salary, and only do one chat a week.
More to come…..
Please. No more….
Ha ha. Thanks!
Yeah, enough already!
This guy is a total nightmare…
Enjoy winning nothing. He’ll be reminded of what he’ll miss when he gets to come back to Oakland.
his pace on the mound gives Rob Manfred nightmares
Really wanted the braves to bring this guy back. He’s a different pitcher now than when he came up with the braves. He would have been a good fit in our bullpen especially now that moylan is gone
This is good