MLBTR’s Steve Adams has details on the extension the Mariners signed reliever Andres Munoz to last offseason. At the time, the contract was known to have four years and $7.5MM guaranteed, with three club options available to Seattle. Adams reports that Munoz received a $750K signing bonus in addition to a $750K salary in 2022.
Going forward, Munoz will receive base salaries of $1.5MM, $2MM and $2.5MM from 2023-25, years he otherwise would have been eligible for arbitration. Seattle’s club options cover what would have been Munoz’s first three free agent years, with the options starting at $6MM in 2026 before increasing to $8MM in 2027 and finally $10MM in 2028. Those option years can be boosted by up to $1MM through escalators based on games finished the previous season. Finishing 20, 30, 40, and 45 games between 2025-27 would each escalate the following season’s club option by $250K. Hitting those same benchmarks during the 2026-28 campaigns would trigger an extra $500K apiece in incentives during that season. None of the options comes with a buyout.
Seattle’s confidence in Munoz was rewarded this season, as the righty was among the best relievers in the sport this season. In 65 regular season innings this year, Munoz posted a fantastic 2.49 ERA and an even more impressive 2.04 FIP while racking up 96 strikeouts before appearing in all five of Seattle’s games this postseason. Averaging 100 mph on his fastball, Munoz is a flamethrower who combines his 52.6% groundball rate (less than a percentage point behind the likes of Sandy Alcanatara) with the sixth highest strikeout rate in the majors this year. Among the five pitchers above him, only Jacob deGrom has a lower walk rate, and Munoz ranks third in all of baseball to only deGrom and Edwin Diaz in K/BB.
Munoz did all this while playing through injury, as president of baseball ops Jerry Dipoto announced yesterday that Munoz would undergo surgery on his foot this offseason. While no specifics were provided on the surgery, the expectation appears to be that Munoz will be ready for spring training next year.
Given Munoz’s elite stuff and results, the contract now looks like stellar value for the Mariners. At the time he signed the deal, Munoz was relatively new to the organization. He’d undergone Tommy John surgery in early 2020, and he was rehabbing from that when the M’s acquired him from the Padres at the 2020 trade deadline. He missed almost all of 2021, making just one appearance at the end of the campaign. Nevertheless, Seattle offered him some financial security last winter, taking the chance he’d break out after the extended layoff. He’s done exactly that, and the team’s reward for rolling the dice on Munoz is another six seasons of affordable control over a 23 year old relief ace.
Munoz in Seattle for 6 more years….sign me up.
He will be a star unless he gets injured, I do think he is a decent injury risk so I think this was a win-win deal.
A stellar value for sure.
He has been brilliant.
You can’t hit what moves too fast to even see.
Great deal
Very cheap for their soon-to-be closer.
Thank you AJ Preller; thank you Jerry Dipoto
This guy’s arm is electric. Threw 104 before surgery and 103 after. Incredible deal, imo, for a phenomenal ‘pen arm.
Sounds like Garrett Richards circa 2012
If the San Diego Padres don’t win it all this year Preller should get the boot. Mariners get their first Title next year. Watch.
There’s about 0% of that happening. First LCS in 24 years. Nola, who was in this trade, has now also come in crucial to their playoff success. And all of this has been done without a game of Tatis.
Seattle definitely won that trade, but Nola has been excellent for SD. Even if they fail in the LCS, I don’t see Preller getting the boot. SD is gonna compete next year, too.
Nola is ok but it looks like sometimes Preller makes trades because he has fun making trades.
Sounds like you’re describing Dipoto instead…. 🙂
Seattle also got France in the trade
It would be ironic to see both teams in the World Series next year.
Yeah it would be. Would not bet against it as of right now.
Traded Edwin Diaz to then trade for Edwin Diaz
Diaz is a free agent
That slider is one of MLB’s most unhittable pitches, so congrats on the success. Whew!
Smart deal for the RP. Won’t be as productive next year coming off of surgery.
So he was lights out pre surgery. Had the surgery. Had top 5 rp numbers post surgery. And you say he won’t be as good next year? Care to explain?
4 innings to 65 and having off season foot surgery. Pitchers need their and a huge bump in innings equals subpar results.
Sandy Alcantara went from 42 to 205 innings last year. He seemed to do okay in 2022.
He pitched well through the minor injury, your pont is moot.
It’s a minor foot surgery lol which will have no effect on how he throws next season
Ump “strike 3, her out”!
Batter “that wasn’t a strike”
Ump “sure sounded like one”.
Great brewery.
AJ Preller had so much talent in that system. Crazy really.
Ballsy move for the M’s to extend a guy coming off of TJ like that, gotta like it when those kind of moves pay dividends…
I don’t think I’d put this one in the ballsy category. 7.5MM is a drop in the bucket. Especially for a 23 year old like Munoz. They paid Ken Giles that much to never throw a pitch this year.
Very shrewd move, for sure.
Does Bregman own his salary, too?
He owned the home run he hit tonight. Not sure on his salary…
Pedro Martinez saying during the game that “The Astros are the Yankee’s Daddy’s.” What an @$$hole!!! Eff you Pedro!
Except he is right !!!
He obviously doesn’t care about his long term health with Seattle having the worst air quality in the world.
Ever been to LA or Bakersfield? Far worse there.
Not according to yesterday’s Washington Post.
That is temporary due to wildfires. Nice try though. Strike one!
Chalk another win up for A. J. Preller!