The Mariners and outfielder Mitch Haniger have agreed to a one-year, $3.01MM contract, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray (Twitter link). The deal replicates the agreement made between the two sides last winter heading into Haniger’s first year of arbitration eligibility, which is no surprise given that Haniger missed the entire 2020 season.
Haniger hasn’t played since June 6, 2019, when he suffered a ruptured testicle. While rehabbing from that horrific injury, Haniger then tore an adductor muscle that eventually led to a pair of surgeries (one for his core, the other a discectomy) during the 2019-20 offseason and he never got onto the field last year. However, Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto indicated during his end-of-season press conference that Haniger was making good progress in his recovery and was expected to be ready for the start of the 2021 season.
Seattle’s decision to tender Haniger a contract reinforces that optimism in the outfielder’s health, and he will now look to resume what had been a very promising career. Haniger hit .271/.351/.486 with 57 home runs over his first 1376 plate appearances in a Mariners uniform, emerging as Seattle’s breakout star of the memorable November 2016 deal with the Diamondbacks that sent Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte to Arizona.
Haniger (who turns 30 in December) is under team control through the 2022 season, so a good performance in 2021 will line him up for a nice raise in third and final year of arbitration eligibility. While the M’s might make some level of a push to reach the playoffs next season, Haniger might still project as a trade chip for the deadline if he regains his old form. Between Kyle Lewis and star prospects Jarred Kelenic, Julio Rodriguez, and Taylor Trammell, Seattle is loaded with young outfielders, so Haniger could still be expendable. For now, however, the focus is just on getting Haniger fully recovered after all of his health woes over the last 18 months.
With Haniger’s deal settled, the Mariners have two remaining arbitration candidates in J.P. Crawford and Tom Murphy.
That’s a horrible string of injuries.
I’m surprised there’s no mention of the horrendous injury from the 2017 season. Mitch also took a 95mph Jacob DeGrom fastball directly to his face. No glance off his bat or protective pads- flush in his mouth. It was sickening. You can understand why Mariner fans are really pulling for this guy.
DeGrom was visibly upset after it, in fact he gave up 2 R’s following the incident and I believe his winning streak ended shortly after that accident. Fortunately Mitch was able to get up and walk off the field on his own but it cost him 6 weeks on the DL. Hopefully Mitch bounces back in 2021 much like he did after this DeGrom FB- He hit a grand slam v Tampa in his 1st g after that 6 week absence.
Damn, I vaguely remember that. Good to see the Mariners sticking by him.
I wonder how much they haggled over that .01 million dollars?
@ayrb- Goodness. I didn’t know about that. This guy is incredibly unlucky.
I really feel like any article with the phrase “ruptured testicle” should have some kind of warning on it.
Seriously?
Of course I’m serious. It’s a well known fact that 38% of all ruptured testicles are caused by reading the term “ruptured testicle.” By failing to warn its readers, MLBTR will be liable for dozens of spontaneous testicluar explosions.
Agreed
I agree with you. It’s absolutely nuts that a disclaimer wasn’t included.
The balls on these guys…
You really should have included a warning on your comment!
Science bro!
WARNING: The Surgeon General has determined that material contained in this article may be harmful to men.
WARNING: the Surgeon General has determined a foul ball hit off the plate and into the testicles will hurt like HE11. There is a high probability it will lead to a surgeon cutting into his sack and putting the ruptured testicle back together. Humpty Dumpty fell off the wall too soon. Surgeons could probably put him back together and that is no yolk.
For a player like Haniger who has been through so much physically and missed significant playing time as a result, it’s cool to see him get tendered a solid 2nd Arb year contract. Come back strong Mitch!
Hoping he’ll bounce back back but missing basically two years could be rough. Gotta wonder if he even knows how to play at his same high level any more.
Ruptured testicles?? Has Mitch Haniger been working the Los Angeles Porno scene during the Offseason?? Dayum!! My testicles hurt just thinking about what than man went through
Mediocrity and Dipoto never take a day off in Seattle
The stock response from a fan of the Los Angeles Angels, who have not experienced a winning full season in the five years since Jerry Dipoto left Anaheim.
Yhe Angrls won 85 2015 That coming from a Mariners fan whos team hasn’t been in the playoffs since Trout was 8 years old.
Guys, guys….the Mariners and Angels BOTH suck.
And the Angels sure have got Trout to the playoffs a lot huh? Three and out against the Royals in 2014 where Trout hit ..083 with one hit and that’s it. And how much have they paid him over that time? Roughly $153 million, or over TEN MILLION DOLLARS per playoff PA, so that one wonderful playoff hit has cost them $~153 million. I’m impressed..
By the way, the 2015 season was six seasons ago and Dipoto was GM there until July 1, so I’m sure he had a hand in building that winning team..
The Angels have not had a winning season since 2015 when Jerry Dipoto opened the year as the Halos’ general manager.
Indeed Seattle has not been to the postseason since 2001 but over the past 30 years the Mariners have not suffered five straight losing seasons … a feat the Angels may add on to in 2021.
Opening the season with MLB’s youngest roster, the Seattle Mariners this year posted the ninth-best record in a league that sent eight teams to the postseason. Perhaps the M’s sucked but six American League apparently sucked more.
Mediocrity would be an improvement from whatever is going on in Anaheim.
We’re still cleaning up after Dipoto.
The Dipoto blame-game is beyond old. Rational Angel fans know the problem is ownership, as does everyone else.
From 2016-2020 the guy cleaning up after Dipoto did not properly address the Angels pitching staff. Especially a year ago after signing Rendon.
Because BillyEpler was just phenomenal for you guys lol.
Wereall-
In the Angels defense, The Angels offered Cole a ton of money. But he was set on playing for favorite team the Yankees.
So the Angels used that money and signed Rendon.
Eppler did try to sign a couple of #2 type starters. But 1 wanted to placed on the east coast.
Luckily Canning showed some promise. And the Bundy trade worked out.
So hopefully we can sign a #1. Maybe Bauer.. and sign some guys who we can add to our BP..
The Angels blew something like 14 saves.
Other than that the Angels lineup isn’t too bad. with Walsh coming up big.. He looks promising with a good glove at 1B
Adell will get better. Angel fans want to trade him after his bad start. But they forget Trout went 7 for 70 when he was first called up in 2011.
Fans always over react to a small sample size.
The defense you gave is an excuse for 1 out of 5 seasons. Eppler didn’t put enough emphasis on starting pitching and nobody can really make a strong argument that he did.
How would you know what’s going on in Anaheim? By the time the games start out here on the left coast, it’s lights out in your jail cell.
The Los Angeles/ Anaheim/ California Angels will be nothing more than a mediocre team as long as Moreno owns the team. I’m just curious how he is going to mess them up this year.
Really? Your a special kind of petty halohonk…. like really? First you make a comment that as an angel fan you have no room to make? 3 playoff games…. that’s all you have to show for having 2 generational talents, and yes even though Albert was on the back half but nobody can argue the man is a generational talent… yet the mariners have the winning season in the last 100 years? Yeah you guys have exactly one more ring then Seattle but like you’ll tell a cardinals fan they can’t hold onto 2011 forever angels fans certainly shouldn’t still be holding on to 2002…. and then you start throwing insults as soon as everyone on here tells you your wrong… dude YOU were the one who posted on a public forum so it’s on you if you thought everyone would just agree with you…. special kinda of petty as I said
Also not to mention Josh Hamilton, CJ Wilson, Otani, Rendon, Justin Upton… and I’m sure there’s more I’m forgetting but all these people they’ve paid HUGE money too and you have less playoff wins then teams like the rays and royals do Pennets since trouts debut
StlCards,
I’m pretty sure most fans would have been happy if there team signed Hamilton in 2012. He was one of the games best hitters. you can’t argue that.
CJ- He was decent signing by the Angels. He was hurt one year., but he won 13 or more the other 3 years.
Ohtani- Was not signed for lot of money. The Angels did pay a $10M for the rights to sign him.
Rendon- is a good signing one of the best players in the game at premium position. Good clutch hitter and great glove..
Yeah we have one a play off series since Trout was called up.. But you can’t blame the owner..
He’s spent money. He wants to win badly as anyone.
The Angels have been undermined by poor player development in regards to pitching.
We will see with a new GM. I’m sure the Angels will get to the PS faster than the Mariners..
See Halo you can make a good post with some insight in it. You don’t need to blame Dipoto for all your problems. How long has he been gone?
If you want to trade GM names I submit Bill Bavasi and Jack Z. Two guys that emptied our minor league system trying to save their job. When Dipoto came we had one of the worst farm system in BB. Now we are 3. These have been mostly in trades and drafting. We have a good chance of having rookie of the year 3 years in a row. In 2 years we have the chance of having probably the youngest and maybe a top 5 OF.
You think you will make the PS before us? I would take you up on that bet. Many won’t agree with me but I believe we make the PS next year or are 1 or 2 places out. We came close last year and our OF will be better along with the SPs. Jerry has some good trade pieces to bolster the BP with.
Keep up with the thoughtful posts and stop pounding on Jerry. We get it you don’t like him but he couldn’t have been worse than the two I mentioned.
You either still don’t get it, or you’re in denial.
It’s not the willingness to spend money, it’s not allowing the GM to do his job because the GM has to appease Arte’s desires before he can even attempt to execute his own plan, which goes out the window once Arte makes his demands.
Dude don’t lecture me your boy JD.
My Angels had a history with JD.
He left the Angels because him and Scoscia did not see eye to eye on certain issues. So like a big baby he resigned.
Outside of the signings of Pujols,Hamilton and Wilson which btw were Arte Moreno’s idea. What did JD actually do for the Angels outside if depleting the farm system?
Then he goes to Seattle and inherits a decent team and decides to tear it apart.
Angel fans on this board have to read the same narrative everytime we sign a pitcher “Oh he’s due for TJ surgery”
Or about “The Angels are wasting Trouts career having only been to one playoff series in 2014”
There’s been alot of great players that have never been to the post season period.Thats not an excuse, thats fact.
At least our owner spends money and tries.And as fans thats all we can ask of him.
Maybe Arte has learned not to meddle with the new GM time will tell.
Hey halo hankie how you been? Tough to have for now the best player in BB and still stink. Your Dipoto hate is boorish and shows your ignorance. Not sure how signing Haniger is mediocre.
If we have a 162 game season in 2021 a lot of things have to fall into place for the M’s to have any kind of chance to compete for a WC spot. The most obvious being the decision on the amount of teams who make it to the post season next year.
I personally think the Mariners success will be largely determined by Haniger’s play next yr. The middle order of that lineup would change dramatically if he’s in it. I might be completely wrong but if Haniger is anything like the player we saw before his string of bad luck injuries I think he will be the difference between the M’s having a winning and losing season. The guy is a stud who gave Seattle 9.3 bWAR in 253g played over the 2017 and 2018 seasons. We know he has All-Star potential. He just needs a little luck to go his way and If he plays well there’s no reason the M’s can’t get above .500
If he returns to perform like before the injury he will most likely be traded. I could see him and Trammel being part of a trade for a SP like Snell. There could also be another team that has a high priced SP they want to get out of the salary. They have some blocked or soon to be blocked players they could add in.
They could also trade for a guy who will be eligible for FA at the end of the year or next year. I would hope they agree to a long term contract before the trade. If he returns to form it opens a lot of options for Seattle. I don’t see him being long term in Seattle. Hope he returns to form not only for trade value but he seems like a good guy and teammate.
Compass- interesting, you might be right but personally I just don’t see Jerry sticking with him for so long then booting him once (if) he starts to contribute. Besides, there is so much uncertainty with young prospects it would be incredibly risky not to mention unpopular to trade away a former All-Star if we are trying to compete for a WC.
If Haniger returns to form while the team around him tanks? That’s a different proposition- his value at the trade deadline would probably force Jerry to look for an INF or a Pitcher. IMO you keep established players who are your best hitters/leaders if you want to continue to fight for the playoffs. IMO We are not really in the position to trade away surplus All-Star caliber bats.
Cue the “we should’ve traded him after his 2018 All-Star season” talk. Hindsight is 20/20
Honestly, maybe they could gauge the market for him and get something in a trade for him. He would make a nice bounceback candidate for any team. Plus, his salary isn’t extremely high and they wouldn’t have to sacrifice much to get him.
Nah, He’s still young and good. and controllable for a couple of more years Mariner fans need a drawing card.
Your right. Maybe with the winter meetings coming up, they could gauge the market for Kyle Seager or Marco Gonzales. They are the only two players I know who the Mariners would be open to listening to offers on. They are at the point in the rebuild where they don’t have a ton of players to trade. Kind of like the Orioles and Giants.
With a highly ranked farm system the Seattle Mariners are stacked with valuable trade assets:
baseballtradevalues.com/teams/478/
… but are not likely to trade away future.
The Mariners are unlikely to trade Marco Gonzalez, who has four years and $30 million remaining on his contract (with a $15 million option for a fifth year) after posting 9.1 fWAR, valued at $72.4 million in 74 starts over the last three seasons.
As a point of reference, fellow lefthander Blake Snell, who has three years and $39 million remaining on his contract, has posted 8.1 fWAR, valued at $64.6 million, in 65 starts over the same period (which included Snell’s stellar Cy Young season in 2018).
With team control through 2025, Gonzales should fall within Seattle’s competitive window.
Redsfan- why would the Mariners trade Marco? He’s been terrific for us since 2018. In fact when we give him at least 3R of support he’s 28-0 since the start of 2018. This 2020 season* he was the most dominant and confident I’ve ever seen him- it’s rare to find a SP who is that aggressive in going after hitters with an 89-91 mph FB.
You enter into a rebuild to have long term cost controlled players which gives you financial freedom to add players where necessary. Marco is not only on a team friendly contract he is the clubhouse leader and a tenacious competitor.
Seattle needs to keep proven SP’s not trade them away! They’re not in a position to trade away their best SP. Okay they have stud SP prospects coming up starting w L Gilbert in 2021 but until prospects prove themselves you don’t trade away a valuable commodity. Trading Marco is like robbing Peter to pay Paul. It doesn’t make one bit of sense. To those who say Marco is not a true ace who would be a SP3 on a better team- you need good SP3’s to get to the postseason.
Your right. I guess I thought that maybe they could see what they could get back in a trade for him. I was also interested to see what they could get back! Maybe some younger controllable arms. But I agree in the end they should keep him.
If his salary isn’t very high and he’s finding the kind of success he showed in 2017 and 2018 why would you trade that away? That’s exactly why you do a rebuild – to have success from a cost controlled cheap hitter. The Mariners are not in the stage of a rebuild where they are overflowing with proven players- they are still seeking them. So don’t trade him.
They should have traded him back in 2018 when he was perhaps the most valuable plausible trade chip out there. When teams were offering up 2 or 3 top 100 picks for him. I say the same thing about the Royals and Whit Merrifield as well. Also about Syndergaard too.
If you have a guy that has tremendous value and youre not gonna compete until after they become a free agent go on ahead and trade them get the prospect capital and build to the future.
Mitch Haniger had four years of team control when Seattle was coming off an 89-win season in 2018. The Mariners hoped … and perhaps still hope — to compete within that four-year window.
They werent gonna compete everyone had the Astros and As over them and many had the Angels over them because they had trout and a bigger payroll. I do give them credit for fleecing the Mets and getting Cano off their books and getting their #1 prospect Kelenic. But could you imagine if they had lets say Pache, Anderson, Mueller and maybe Carmargo as a throw in from the Braves. And in 2018 the Braves would have given that and perhaps more.
But thats my point you have to strike when the irons hot and Haniger had good potential but he was being way overhyped compared to the rumors he had attached to him. And if you have that much buzz then you gotta make a deal and sell high. When the hype exceeds the production always sell.
We don’t know what offers Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto declined.
We know that instead of trading Mitch Haniger that Dipoto drafted three pitchers ranked among MLB’s Top 100 prospects, including one ahead of Ian Anderson and another one slot behind Anderson:
mlb.com/prospects/top100/
Without trading Haniger the Mariners still have multiple years of team control over three starters who this year combined for 4.7 fWAR in 30 starts.
We know that instead of trading Haniger that Dipoto acquired three outfielders ranked among MLB’s Top 100 prospects, including one ahead of Cristian Pache and another closely behind Pache. And the Mariners have five more years of outfielder Kyle Lewis, the 2020 American League Rookie of the Year.
Fan proposals in the 2018-19 offseason included the likes of Mike Soroka, Kyle Wright, Kyle Muller, Touki Toussiant and Tristan Beck:
tomahawktake.com/2018/12/31/atlanta-braves-visions…
sodomojo.com/2018/12/09/mariners-trade-send-hanige…
The Mariners were wise to pass on those players.
You assume the Braves were willing to trade elite prospects to acquire Haniger, but there has been no indication that they were willing to do that and they have yet to make any major sacrifice for anyone since AA took over (for better or for worse).
But it’s hardly fair to call it a mistake. There are still two years of affordable control. He could still be traded for a significant return, or stick around and possibly help Seattle get into the postseason before Rodriguez debuts.
Worth noting that Seattle lacks veterans. His work ethic alone can have a positive impact on such a young team.
I like Haniger, but Seattle should have traded Haniger when Seattle announced they were rebuilding.
Amen my point exactly
That’s like saying the Yankees should have traded Judge because they were out of the playoffs when he came up. Hindsight.
To the people saying we should’ve traded haniger in 2018, we’ll the M’s tried to! No one was giving up anything for corner outfield help even then Braves. And we weren’t just gunna trade Haniger, coming off a 6.2 WAR season with 4 more years of team control, for peanuts.
We gauged the market and the market wasn’t offering a fair market value. We kept Haniger and he ended up getting hurt.
Hindsight is 20/20