The Mariners announced that Zach DeLoach’s contract has been selected, adding the outfielder to the 40-man roster and protecting him from selection in the Rule 5 Draft. To create roster room, Seattle designated first baseman Mike Ford for assignment.
Ford is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, and is projected to earn $1.5MM. It isn’t a huge sum, and Ford had a very solid 123 wRC+ while hitting .228/.323/.475 with 16 home runs over 251 plate appearances for the Mariners this season, but the M’s have seemingly decided that Ford is expendable. Ford isn’t helped by his lack of minor league options, so a DFA was the only route for the Mariners to move him off the 40-man and possibly down to the minors, though today’s move has the feel of an early cut in advance of Friday’s non-tender deadline.
The 31-year-old Ford made his Major League debut with the Yankees in 2019, bursting onto the scene with 12 homers and a .259/.350/.559 slash line over his first 163 PA in the Show. Between that rookie season and his 2023 numbers, Ford has sandwiched some quality production around three far less-production seasons, as he batted .170/.275/.294 over 305 PA from 2020-22, bouncing around to five different clubs in that span (including a prior stint with the Mariners).
Should Ford indeed hit the open market again, he might have trouble landing a guaranteed contract, yet there’s some interesting potential here for a team willing to give him some consistent at-bats. Ford is limited by his out-of-options status and the fact that he can only play first base, but a club looking for some low-cost production from a first baseman can do worse than bringing Ford to Spring Training. Another reunion with the Mariners doesn’t seem out of the question, if at less than a $1.5MM salary.
DeLoach is one of a few interesting Seattle prospects who might be Rule 5 candidates come December, but for now, the outfielder is the only one locked into a spot on the Mariners’ 40-man roster. A second-round pick in the 2020 draft, the 25-year-old DeLoach hit .286/.387/.481 slash line with 23 homers in 623 plate appearances for Triple-A Tacoma last season. The hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League adds a grain of salt to those numbers, but the added pop answered some scouts’ criticisms that DeLoach hadn’t yet developed enough power at the plate. Left field might be his only ideal spot in the outfield, but DeLoach does seem to have a chance to make his Major League debut at some point in 2024, in at least a reserve capacity.
Bye bye, Mike. You’re a good kid. Wishing you the best next season!
He’s 31. If he was still a kid, he might not have been designated for assignment.
But yeah, seems nice enough. Hopefully he’ll get an opportunity with another MLB club.
He was designated for assignment in the past in his 20s.
Yeah, by multiple teams. He performed worse in his 20’s.
He wasn’t bad this year, there just isn’t a lot more to hope for at this point.
What keeps Mike afloat?
Ask Ted Kennedy…
REPORTED
Lead singer of RAGE!?!? Pocket full of shells!!
rally round the family
Fine outfielder.
We should see him at right field in the show very very soon.
I am told the kid can hit.
I was talking about DeLoach when I said “the kid can hit”. He will surprise a lot of nay-sayers.
Was about to say Mike Ford’s not an outfielder
Ok Fred, don’t count your chickens just yet.
Genuinely surprised Ford was DFA’d after the season he had…. I guess he’s a bat only power hitter who isn’t all that prolific? I commend him for sticking with baseball. He’s gotta be one of the more intriguing Quadruple-A guys of the past few years.
I’d love to see him get more chances to stay in the Show and make it to arbitration, etc. have a proper career. I just like his presence
I think Ford showed he’s a fully capable emergency fill in guy. I do believe his past season will allow him continued opportunities to fill in as needed. With any luck he could accumulate 200-250 ABs a yr. I wish him well.
Oh yeah he’s clearly not a starter, but he’s a solid platoon guy who deserves to have a full time roster spot and full regular season salary. I think he’s worth 1 year/$740k and a spot from Day 1 and to be platooned throughout a full season…. knowing he’s streaky, inconsistent….
But hey, 0.6 WAR over 83 games batting .228 w/ 16 HR’s seems like enough productivity to get a full year’s opportunity.
I don’t think he’s worth more than 1 to 1.6 WAR in a full season- he’s basically a 1-dimensional player- but plenty of those guys have had robust lucrative careers with a consistent roster spot.
I thought Seattle would try to trade him to Milwaukee. But it’s not like he had much value.
I’m not very surprised, to be honest. He’s a DH-only who is very streaky and struck out at something like a 32.3% clip (looked it up recently so I know it’s close at least).
I’m not surprised Seattle is moving on, Trammell might be next.
@Stevil I have a feeling he likely winds up in Milwaukee anyhow now.
I don’t think Trammell is a Mariner for long. He hasnt done much and is out of options. I think they try to trade him, but could see him getting DFA’d in one of the upcoming 40 man crunches this winter, and if he survives that there is no way he makes the big league club, and he is out of options.
The 40-man crunch is now!
But yeah, being out of options and not having done much with his opportunities makes him a candidate for relocation.
Ford draws his walks too, the K% is high mainly because his swing is tailored to maximize launch angle and he works deep counts. He doesn’t chase crap that’s way out of the zone. He’s streaky like all true outcomes sluggers but he has a decent approach that keeps him somewhat productive on days when the homers aren’t coming. I think a team looking for some cheap power at DH/1B would be all over claiming him.
I’m sure this isn’t why they DFA’d Ford, but got me thinking, are they thinking bout adding a DH? Not necessarily Dipoto’s style but its the biggest hole in the lineup right now. Obviously Ohtani would improve them the most, but have trouble seeing them spend like that, so maybe J.D. Martinez or someone else via trade? I would like to see them add another OF who is actually good out there ans not a DH masquerading as a OF. So maybe adding both an actual DH and a fielder who isnt a disaster in the outfield makes sense.
I hope we do. DH by committee is pointless if it ends up in a collective slash line of .207/.285/.392 like last year. Get some bats until we have enough offensive talent to cycle guys through DH.
Jorge Soler for DH!
Yeah unless they actually improve the DH spot, I think DFAing Ford is pretty shortsighted. The low AVG and high K% aren’t pretty but he has a good approach under the hood. He doesn’t chase crap that’s off the plate, and works a decent amount of walks so when the homers aren’t coming he’s still productive. A team looking for some cheap power will claim him and give him a lot of ABs.
In addition to DH, Ford was a decent glove filling in for France when hurt. There are less valuable guys on the 40 man roster.
Main reason for DFAing him, Mariner ownership/front office is incredibly cheap
I like Mike. Brewers sign mike and cut Tellez
With all the strikeout-prone players the M’s have, this move doesn’t seem too surprising. Dipoto says they’re going to go after guys who make more contact. Ford isn’t that kind of player, but I enjoyed watching him with the M’s this season. He gave them a lift when they first called him up.
Clearing the way for Ohtani at DH.
The Mariners weren’t going to pay Ford arbitration money under any circumstances. If Ford likes Tacoma and Seattle, he’ll sign a minor league contract to come back. If he’d rather try and get a guaranteed MLB job elsewhere, more power to him. (I don’t think he’ll get it.)
DeLoach is probably a decent third piece in a trade. He has a little bit of sheen that Marlowe, Trammell, Packard and others dont.
Under other circumstances they mi9ht have kept Ford after all Ford has a better idea. Unfortunately given his resume, if you forgive the pun ,Ford could not afford having nothing less than a continued good showing as his early callup provided, unless your name is France or a Saurez do you get the benefit.