JAN. 27: Strickland will earn a $1.3MM salary this year and could end up making nearly $2.6MM via incentives based on appearances and games finished, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
JAN. 24: The Mariners have agreed on a one-year contract with righty reliever Hunter Strickland, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). Though only a one-year contract, Seattle still retains control over Strickland through the 2021 season, via Strickland’s two remaining arbitration-eligible seasons.
Strickland was something of a surprise addition to the free agent relief market when the Giants designated him for assignment in November, effectively releasing him prior to the non-tender deadline. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected Strickland for a modest $2.5MM salary in 2019, so combined with the team control through 2021, it raised some eyebrows when the Giants parted ways with the 30-year-old.
2018 was, however, the weakest of Strickland’s four full MLB seasons. He posted career-worst totals in ERA (3.97), homer rate (9.1%), grounder rate (38.1%), strikeout rate (7.35), and swinging strike rate, while allowing far more hard contact than in past years — Strickland’s 42.3% hard-hit ball rate dwarfed his 31.7% career rate. The real lowlight was a two-month DL stint due to a fractured hand, an injury suffered when Strickland punched a door in anger after a blown save.
The Giants may have simply felt that a change in scenery was necessary, so the Mariners now get the opportunity at a potential bargain if Strickland returns to his old form. Over 173 2/3 innings and 195 appearances from 2015-17, Strickland was a quality part of San Francisco’s bullpen, posting a 2.75 ERA, 2.84 K.BB rate, and 8.6 K/9. He could find himself in line for saves as part of the Mariners’ drastically overhauled bullpen, with Cory Gearrin and Anthony Swarzak also in the mix for closer duty.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Now hoping Harper signs with an AL West team b/c everyone likes fireworks…but we all know that won’t happen.
Angels?
Astros trade Kyle Tucker for realmuto sign Harper get your popcorn kids.
Lol that won’t happen but boy would that team be scary. I do think the Astros should trade for JT. They have the pieces and it makes a lot of sense. Plus, they can sign an extension with him easily
I don’t care who you are that helmet throw was embarrassing!
It was f’n terrible for a MLB player to throw a helmet like that.
Lol! I was there and I thought it was helarious. One of the better baseball fights. The fact Posey let Harper charge the mound tells you it was planned. When Bum and Puig were jawing at each other Posey jumped in between him and Bum. Not with Harper, Posey didn’t even move until punches were thrown.
Michael Morse’s career was collateral damage, so that put a damper on the hilarity for me.
I was thinking the same thing.
Mariners would be fun, with Papelbon joining the coaching staff.
Nice for the Mariners.
I’d rather toast bread in a bathtub
What kind of bread.
No, no its not.
So far I am 2 for 2.
I called Strickland and Gearrin signing with the Mariners (on this website).
If Boxberger signs with Seattle I will be 3 for 3.
i would be alright with boxberger getting signed
Id rather sign a box of burgers instead of that clown.
who cares @throwinched10
Start padding those dugout walls
Beat me to it lol
Hoping he doesnt punch a door before he signs the deal
Only 3 weeks ‘til paczki day.
mardi gras is better.
Good Luck Mariners you’re gonna need it!
…….Also Mariners,invest in some Neck Braces for your Players for the Whiplash Epidemic
This is the best I’ve felt since he was non tendered
Good luck with this head case.
Rumor has it he punched the contract because he didn’t like it’s font.
its. Stupid autocorrect.
I get it. He’s a hot head. He’s got bad temper. It doesn’t make him any less of an athlete, and when he pitched for the Giants last year he really had something in him before the injury. He worked with Smoltz on his slider and he seems like a solid guy to bring in the 7th inning. Good work by Dipoto and I’m no Mariners or Dipoto fan.
you are a Giants fan arent you!? He was doing good last year. Too bad he had to pull an idiot move and punch a door. I was surprised the Giants let him go with his potential. But I also think Zaidi was making a statement with his release.
Potential!? Dude has blown every big opportunity he has been given since being called up, in 2013….. Not like last year. This guys low ERA is a mirage. And no, this guy can’t be a Giants fan, cause none of us have liked Strickland for at least 3 years now. Bobby Evans and Bochy were on their knees for the kid and the team paid for it greatly. Sure, sometimes he did alright sometimes. But almost all big situations he was toast. I’m thankful he is someone else’s problem. I was hoping the Dodgers would sign him. Lol
He is clubhouse cancer. None of his team mates liked him. More than the Giants GM it was Bochy who wanted him gone. He has more troubles than just Harper. incident. There is a reason a guy with his good fastball was past over by most teams.
Hes a chump. I just glad hes gone.
Same. Good Riddance.
home run strickland
will strickland have a “punch out”?
I love all these comments about his freak out. At the end of the day, the kid has got the talent and an obvious passion for the game and I like seeing that kind of intensity in players! I like this signing for the M’s.
it isn’t just that – his attitude affected the game. once he got rattled his control would go – and eventually there would be some kind of blow up, whether it was beaning harper or punching a wall or any number of other things (there were a few other incidents)
Freak out? I dont care about the wall punch. He carries a crappy attitude, and he does not perform well under pressure. Instead of continuing to give his best… he’ll up and throw at a batter who he cant retire. Straight busta.
Would’ve thought the Cubs would jump all over him. He’d been a good mentor for Russell.
Strickland and Chapman would have made a terrific 1-2 punch.
This is hysterical. I wish the Cubs did this. Lol. You would have regret it so bad. Be thankful they didn’t.
Off color, Strickland didn’t beat his wife, Familia beat his.
Is Strickland the favorite to close in Seattle?
They’re not hiring him to be the undercard.
….And there goes the locker room. hahaha. That guy’s the worst. Been watching him on the Giants for years and he’s just bad news. Total headcase.
Not to mention he isn’t good. One pitch with no movement. This “slider” that smoltz helped him with last off-season was ok through the first part of the year but don’t let his low ERA fool you. Mostly in chump situations because anytime we really needed him he blew it. It’s all on film.
Good signing even with his past. Maybe he has learned, who knows. He could be a great flip for a prospect or two at trade deadline if he can do good this season.
you’d think he didnt run outa. ground ball with all the hate he’s gotten here. Given the likelyhood it’s a team-friendly deal, id do that any day, and wish the Phils had signed him.
Consider yourself lucky. You didn’t watch him everyday and I’m sure just looked at his ERA. Like most people here.
Dont worry by the end of the year the Mariners fans will be cursing this move. Its like a dog that bites his owner and the next owner think he can fix it until that dog bites him.
Call the Strickland whisperer.
Strickland and Kontos were similar in that they were way overrated if you looked at the Stats and both had good stuff but they both would miss location constantly! So they were good at losing games, if either did anything other than long relief,it was game over with a loss
A little extra punch in the bullpen.
The fans turned on him after the Harper incident. Not only was it stupid to hold a grudge for three years after a series his team won, but Mike Morse got a concussion in the ensuing fight that ended his career.
I despise this jackass and I’m a Dodgers fan. I have mad respect for the players on the Giants (Posey, Crawford, Belt, Pence, etc… and especially Bochy. Gotta tip your cap to what they accomplished with classy players. Strickland isn’t one of those. He is my single most despised player in all of baseball. A true jerk! I love watching him get shelled and I’m not “that” kind of fan. M’s you have no idea what you just signed up for!
I’m a Giants fan and I don’t like him. Most of my friends who are Giants fans can’t stand the guy. I used to hate Harper until he punched Strickland in the face. Now I kinda like the dude.
I’m laughing at all the freaking out about the signing. It’s a one year deal for chris’sakes.
Maybe M’s needed a bouncer.
Not a bad signing at all for the money, keep him out of high leverage situations and he will be fine.
No doubt Dipoto is going to flip him at the deadline if he’s half way descent for the M’s. Nice pickup, might get a low level prospect out of it.