Evan White Out Two Months With Groin Strain
Mariners first baseman Evan White recently suffered a Grade 2 groin strain and will be out of action for the next two months, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.
This news is the latest in a series of frustrating setbacks for a player who was once a highly-touted youngster. Selected 17th overall in the 2017 draft, White thrived in the lower levels of the minors and got himself onto Baseball America’s top 100 list in 2019 and 2020. It was in that time, November of 2019, that he and the club agreed to a six-year, $24MM extension. It was a vote of confidence in a young player who had yet to crack the majors but seemed on the verge of a breakout after hitting .293/.350/.488 in Double-A.
White was promoted to the big leagues in 2020 but struggled in his first taste of the majors, hitting .176/.252/.346. He also struck out in 41.6% of his plate appearances over 54 games in the shortened season. Since that time, White hasn’t been able to play much at all due to injuries, requiring hip surgery and sports hernia surgery. He played just 34 games in 2021 between Triple-A and the majors, then just 28 Triple-A games last year.
Here in 2023, White came into spring healthy, but the club optioned him to the minors. Since Ty France had taken over the first base job in his absence, it made sense for White to get everyday reps in Tacoma to get back into a groove after so much missed time. But now, after just a couple of games with the Rainiers, White is facing yet another significant stretch of time on the shelf.
Should the two-month timeline prove true, that will still give White a few more months to finish the season strong, though it’s surely not ideal or welcome for him to hit another speed bump after already going over so many. This won’t have an immediate impact on the big league club, but it does subtract from their first base depth, which could be an issue if France deals with an injury as the season goes along.
White’s contract runs through 2025 with three club options beyond that. The first of those is a $10MM option for 2026 with a $2MM buyout. As of right now, the odds of White being worth that kind of investment seem low. He still has a few years to change that perception, though that will have to wait at least another couple months.
Mariners Sign Pat Valaika To Minor League Deal
The Mariners signed infielder Pat Valaika to a minor league deal last week. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Tacoma, where he made his season debut over the weekend.
A right-handed hitter, Valaika has appeared in parts of six big league campaigns. He got to the highest level each season between 2016-21, suiting up for the Rockies and Orioles. Valaika set a career mark with 281 plate appearances for Baltimore in 2021 but struggled to a .201/.250/.290 slash that season. For his career, he carries a .221/.264/.378 line with 30 home runs and a lofty 27.2% strikeout rate over 864 plate appearances.
Last season, the UCLA product spent the year in the Braves’ system. He got into 114 games for their top affiliate in Gwinnett, putting up a .242/.303/.368 mark with a reasonable 20.6% strikeout percentage in 466 trips to the dish. He never got an MLB call from Atlanta and returned to minor league free agency over the offseason.
Valika has extensive experience throughout the infield. He’s capable of playing anywhere on the dirt, though public metrics have been lukewarm on his shortstop performance. He’ll bring a fair bit of experience and defensive flexibility to the upper minors in Seattle and adds another righty-swinging utility bat to the mix.
Dylan Moore is on the injured list, pushing the switch-hitting Sam Haggerty into a complementary role to the lefty-swinging Kolten Wong at second base. The M’s acquired Nick Solak in a trade with the Reds last week and have him on optional assignment to Tacoma. Valaika and Mason McCoy are among the non-roster depth players in the organization.
Mariners Place Robbie Ray On 15-Day Injured List
5:44PM: Ray suffered a Grade 1 strain, Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters (including MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer). The team’s plan is to shut Ray down for two weeks and then re-evaluate after that period of daily treatment, with a rough timeline of 4-6 weeks until Ray’s eventual return from the IL. Ray told media that he began to develop some flexor pain during the second inning of yesterday’s game.
3:24PM: Left-hander Robbie Ray has been placed on the Mariners’ 15-day injured list due to a left flexor strain. Southpaw Gabe Speier was called up from Triple-A to take Ray’s spot on the active roster.
Ray made his season debut last night and only lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits and five walks. Even with Ray’s history of control issues, the five walks is probably the biggest indicator that something wasn’t quite right with Ray, and he threw 91 pitches over his 3 1/3 frames of work. The Mariners have yet to publicly comment on the severity of Ray’s injury or a possible return timeline, but it would certainly seem like he’ll miss more than the minimum 15 days just out of pure caution in dealing with injuries in the forearm or elbow area.
After Ray won the AL Cy Young Award as a member of the Blue Jays in 2021, Seattle inked him to a five-year, $115MM free agent contract in the following offseason. Ray’s first season as a Mariner wasn’t up to the level of his 2021 performance but it was still solid, as the southpaw posted a 3.71 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate, and a slightly below-average 8% walk rate. Ray continued to allow a lot of hard contact, but that has been the norm throughout his MLB career.
Just three days into the 2023 season, the Mariners have already had to deal a notable rotation injury, after getting through 2022 with a remarkable run of health from its starters. While the M’s have four off-days between today and April 25, the construction of their schedule means they will need a fifth starter in Ray’s absence, though Seattle has a very qualified replacement in Chris Flexen. Trade rumors swirled around Flexen (and Marco Gonzales) for much of the offseason, though the Mariners’ decision to hang onto their starting depth is now looking wise in hindsight, especially if Ray is facing any kind of extended absence.
Speier is now set to make his first appearance in a Seattle uniform, after being claimed off waivers from the Royals last November. Speier is also the only left-handed pitcher in a bullpen stacked with right-handed relievers, so Speier’s inclusion will add some balance to the relief mix. A veteran of four MLB seasons, Speier has a 3.83 ERA over 40 career innings with the Royals, appearing in rather sporadic fashion for Kansas City since making his debut in the Show in 2019.
Mariners Acquire Nick Solak From Reds
The Reds have traded corner outfielder/second baseman Nick Solak to the Mariners for cash, both teams announced. Seattle had an opening on the 40-man roster and immediately optioned Solak to Triple-A Tacoma. No additional move was necessary.
Solak never played a regular season game as a Red. Cincinnati acquired the right-handed hitter from the Rangers at the beginning of the offseason. It was a cash transaction that saw the Reds add a player who was a few years removed from being a well-regarded prospect. Cincinnati gave Solak a look as part of a wide-open outfield mix in Spring Training, but he collected just two hits in 20 at-bats.
That lackluster exhibition showing pushed Solak down the outfield depth chart. Cincinnati designated him for assignment yesterday as they set their Opening Day roster, clearing a 40-man spot to add a pair of relievers and infielder Jason Vosler to the big league group. Solak’s stay in DFA limbo lasted only a little more than 24 hours, as Seattle stepped in to jump the waiver order.
A second-round pick of the Yankees in 2016, Solak has now been a part of five different organizations as a professional. He’s only ever played in an MLB game with Texas, tallying 974 plate appearances as a Ranger between 2019-22. Solak broke into the majors with an impressive .293/.393/.491 showing over 33 contests as a rookie, showing the offensive promise which prospect evaluators had long noted.
The Louisville product hasn’t managed to build off that strong debut. He’s been a below-average hitter in each of the three seasons since then, combining for a .246/.317/.354 line in 839 plate appearances dating back to 2020. He’s shown decent contact skills but not drawn many walks or hit for a significant amount of power.
That tepid offense has come as Solak has increasingly moved down the defensive spectrum. Drafted as a second baseman, he’s long been regarded by scouts as a below-average defender there. Defensive Runs Saved graded him six runs worse than par in a little more than 1000 innings in 2021. Texas pushed him to left field with the Marcus Semien signing in 2022.
In spite of his lackluster big league showings of late, the 28-year-0ld has continued to perform well in the minors. He spent most of last season with the Rangers’ top affiliate in Round Rock, where he hit .278/.371/.489 with 10 longballs, a strong 11.6% walk rate and a 19.7% strikeout percentage over 57 games. He’s now a .293/.370/.510 hitter over parts of three Triple-A campaigns.
Solak has one minor league option year remaining. The M’s can keep him in Tacoma as needed for the rest of this season if he holds a spot on the 40-man roster. He adds a right-handed bat who could potentially join Sam Haggerty and, when healthy, Dylan Moore as complements to Kolten Wong at second base. Seattle also has a left field platoon of Jarred Kelenic and AJ Pollock, with Solak stepping in behind them and Cooper Hummel in that regard.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Mariners, César Hernández Agree To Minor League Deal
The Mariners and infielder César Hernández are in agreement on a minor league deal, reports Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extra Base. Hernández had been in camp with the Tigers until recently but didn’t make their Opening Day roster.
Hernández, 33 in May, had been a fairly steady and reliable presence at second base for many years, primarily with the Phillies. From 2015 to 2020, he played in at least 127 games in each full season and 58 games in the shortened 2020 campaign. He hit 48 home runs, stole 79 bases and walked in 10.1% of his plate appearances in that time. His wRC+ of 101 in that span indicates he was just barely above league average.
However, he’s coming off a couple of strange campaigns, relative to his previous work. In 2021, he had a power spike with 21 home runs, though his on-base percentage dropped with a lower walk rate and a .232 batting average. Despite the extra homers, his wRC+ ended up at 90. Last year, that power vanished, as he hit just one dinger all year long. He finished with a .248/.311/.318 batting line and 79 wRC+.
He settled for a minor league deal with Detroit this winter and hit .234/.321/.383 this spring, but didn’t make the club’s roster out of camp. As an Article XX(B) free agent, he had the ability to opt out of his minors deal if not selected. It’s not clear if he triggered that opt-out or not, but the result is the same as the Tigers released him a few days ago, returning him to the open market.
Hernández has had brief time at third base, shortstop and the outfield in his career but the vast majority of his work has been at second base. The Mariners have Kolten Wong and Tommy La Stella on the roster as second base options, though both players dealt with lower body injuries last year. Dylan Moore and Sam Haggerty were set to play bench/utility roles but Moore is currently out of action with an oblique strain. Hernández will presumably head to Triple-A Tacoma, giving them a veteran presence and providing the M’s with an extra layer of depth.
Offseason In Review Chat Transcript: Seattle Mariners
In association with the Mariners edition of the Offseason In Review series, we held a Seattle-related live chat with readers. Click here to read the transcript.
Offseason In Review: Seattle Mariners
The Mariners swung some interesting trades to bolster their lineup, but took a very modest dip into the free agent market. Will it be enough to push this roster from playoff team to World Series contender?
Major League Signings
- AJ Pollock, OF: One year, $7MM
- Trevor Gott, RP: One year, $1.2MM
- Tommy La Stella, IF: One year, $720K (Mariners paying minimum MLB salary, Giants responsible for remaining $10.78MM owed to La Stella through 2023 season)
2023 spending: $8.92MM
Total spending: $8.92MM
Option Decisions
- None
Trades and Claims
- Acquired OF Teoscar Hernandez from Blue Jays for RP Erik Swanson and minor league pitcher Adam Macko
- Acquired IF Kolten Wong and $1.75MM from Brewers for OF Jesse Winker and IF Abraham Toro
- Acquired C/OF Cooper Hummel from Diamondbacks for OF/DH Kyle Lewis
- Acquired RP Justin Topa from Brewers for minor league SP Joseph Hernandez
- Acquired SP Easton McGee from Red Sox for cash considerations
- Claimed RP Gabe Speier off waivers from Royals
- Claimed RP Tayler Saucedo off waivers from Mets
- Claimed RP J.B. Bukauskas off waivers from Diamondbacks
Notable Minor League Signings
- Casey Sadler, Delino DeShields, Tommy Milone, Colin Moran, Mike Ford, Kean Wong, Carson Fulmer, Taylor Williams, Jacob Nottingham, Jose Rodriguez, Brian O’Keefe (Kole Calhoun and Leonys Martin also signed minors deals but were released in Spring Training)
Extensions
- Dylan Moore, IF/OF: Three years, $8.875MM
Notable Losses
- Winker, Lewis, Swanson, Toro, Mitch Haniger, Carlos Santana, Adam Frazier, Luis Torrens, Matt Boyd, Curt Casali, Luke Weaver, Luis Torrens, Ryan Borucki, Nick Margevicius, Drew Ellis
It wasn’t surprising that “Trader Jerry” Dipoto swung one of the offseason’s first big trades, as the Mariners president of baseball operations made a quick move in November to land Teoscar Hernandez from the Blue Jays. Erik Swanson was a huge part of Seattle’s bullpen in 2022 and he carries three years of arbitration control, but the M’s are betting their deep and talented relief corps can pick up the slack of Swanson’s departure, while the lineup was in need of a big bat.
Despite a pair of Silver Slugger Awards on his resume, Hernandez was still perhaps a bit overlooked in Toronto, given the presence of such higher-profile homegrown names as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. The 30-year-old has a 132 wRC+ over the last three seasons, batting .283/.333/.519 with 73 home runs over his last 1337 plate appearances with consistently sky-high hard-contact rates. The tradeoff to this production is a lack of walks and a lot of strikeouts, and public defensive metrics haven’t been impressed with Hernandez’s work as a corner outfielder.
Still, having Julio Rodriguez in center field will help cover some of Hernandez’s defensive shortcomings, and adding a reliable slugger as an everyday player immediately answered one of several questions the Mariners faced about their outfield heading into the winter. While the M’s had several options to flank Rodriguez in the corner outfield positions, it was a list of players either short on proven MLB experience, or coming off underwhelming performances in 2022.
With Hernandez in place, the Mariners could pivot to unloading some of these other outfielders. Kyle Lewis has played in only 54 games since winning AL Rookie Of The Year honors in 2020, due to both a concussion and recurring knee problems that might make him close to a DH-only player sooner rather than later. While Lewis still hit well at Triple-A last season and has plenty of upside if he’s healthy, the Mariners instead opted to trade him to the Diamondbacks for a more versatile outfield option in Cooper Hummel.
In fact, this versatility extends behind the plate, as Hummel is a rare catcher/outfielder hybrid who can serve as depth at both positions. Cal Raleigh is Seattle’s top catching option, and since backup Tom Murphy is coming back from a 2022 season cut short by shoulder surgery, Hummel gives the M’s extra flexibility with their catching mix.
The next outfield-related move also saw the Mariners address their need at second base. The club’s explorations into keystone help included interest in a Gleyber Torres trade with the Yankees, and at least some interest in Trea Turner and the other top shortstops on the market, with the idea that one of them could be open to moving to second base (since the M’s preferred to keep J.P. Crawford at short).
Instead, the Mariners landed one of their other second-base targets for a player who seemed to have worn out his welcome in Seattle. Jesse Winker was one of the Mariners’ prize pickups from the 2021-22 offseason, but lingering knee and neck problems seemed to sap his power — Winker had only a .344 slugging percentage in 2022, far below the .504 SLG he posted over his five previous seasons with the Reds. There was also reportedly some behind-the-scenes discord regarding Winker within Seattle’s clubhouse, and so the M’s decided to move on by trading him and Abraham Toro (who was also expendable due to the Mariners’ other infield depth options) to Milwaukee for Kolten Wong.
2022 was also an uncharacteristic season for Wong, as while he had arguably his strongest year at the plate, his vaunted defense cratered. Injuries were a factor in this situation as well, as Wong battled some leg problems that turned the three-time Fielding Bible Award winner into a subpar defender at second base. Assuming Wong is now healthy, there’s plenty of potential for a bounce-back in Seattle, and perhaps even an opportunity for a career year if Wong can regain his defensive form and continued his improved hitting.
Wong isn’t expected to be an everyday contributor, as he’ll be spelled against left-handed pitching by platoon partner Dylan Moore. While Sam Haggerty might fill this role while Moore recovers from an oblique strain, the M’s certainly consider Moore to be a key piece going forward, as the utilityman was signed to a three-year extension that gives the Mariners additional control over what would have been Moore’s first free agent year.
The last piece of the outfield puzzle was completed when AJ Pollock was signed to a one-year, $7MM deal. Pollock’s signing sets up another platoon, as the veteran outfielder will be paired with Jarred Kelenic in left field. This timeshare reflects Pollock’s reduced numbers against right-handed pitching in 2022, while also giving Kelenic regular (yet not full-time) work as he tries to establish himself in the majors. The former top prospect hasn’t hit at all over his 558 PA as a big leaguer, but a big Spring Training performance has Kelenic and the Mariners hoping he just needed some extra time to adjust.
Between all these moves and the Mariners’ addition of another bounce-back candidate in Tommy La Stella, Dipoto took a measured approach to his lineup additions. Hernandez, Wong, Pollock, and La Stella are short-term adds, all slated to hit free agency next winter. Compared to some of the other names to whom the M’s were linked (i.e. Brandon Nimmo, Masataka Yoshida, Andrew Benintendi, and old friend Mitch Haniger), the club clearly opted against making any sort of big splash of a move.
In terms of spending, the Mariners finished 2022 with roughly a $116MM payroll, and Roster Resource now pegs their 2023 payroll at approximately $140.5MM. That’s not a small increase, but also not a big one either, considering that last fall, RR had Seattle projected for around $131.5MM in spending based on estimated arbitration raises alone. Hernandez’s $14MM salary for 2023 basically accounts for the rise to $140.5MM, as the Mariners saved a few extra dollars by parting ways with such arb-eligibles as Swanson, Lewis, Toro, Luis Torrens, and Ryan Borucki.
To this end, Dipoto noted during a radio interview in December that the payroll increase is, naturally, a sign the organization isn’t afraid to spend. Dipoto also pointed to the pricey contract extensions the team reached with Rodriguez and Luis Castillo prior to the end of the 2022 season as further evidence to his point that “raising payroll is doing smart things that evenly balance a team.” However, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times wrote in December that “multiple MLB sources have indicated that [Dipoto] isn’t operating with the payroll flexibility that was widely anticipated” heading into the offseason.
Since the Mariners’ payroll was in the $160MM range as recently as 2018, it isn’t clear why ownership might have limited spending. It could be due to lingering after-effects from the pandemic, uncertainty over the Root Sports Seattle regional network even though the Mariners are still the majority (60%) owners, or perhaps just that stretching up to $160MM was something of an outlier for the franchise. That said, it could be that the front office might be given funds during the season to pick up a needed trade deadline piece, or maybe the M’s are saving room in the budget for a larger pursuit down the road. Since the Mariners were finalists for Shohei Ohtani when the two-way star first came to North America, it stands to reason the M’s would again have interest when Ohtani enters free agency next offseason, even if his contract demands approach or exceed the $500MM mark.
Speaking of pitching, the Mariners at least checked in on Kodai Senga before he signed with the Mets. This might have been more of a due-diligence pursuit on Seattle’s part, as adding Senga would’ve given the M’s seven rotation candidates, and maybe forced the team’s hand in subsequently trading one of Marco Gonzales or Chris Flexen. As Opening Day nears, Gonzales and Flexen are still on the roster despite months of trade rumors, as there has been plenty of speculation the Mariners might deal from their rotation surplus.
It could be Dipoto simply never received an offer to his liking for Gonzales or Flexen, and it is fair to assume the M’s wanted a quality return in exchange for a starting pitcher (especially during an offseason that saw so many free agent starters land huge contracts). After all, the Mariners were under no particular pressure to swing a trade, considering the obvious benefit of simply keeping both Gonzales and Flexen in the fold. A rotation “surplus” can quickly diminish in the event of an injury or two, and while Seattle has an intriguing wave of pitching prospects on the verge of the big leagues, the club probably prefers having a veteran arm as the top depth option. The M’s also dealt from their prospect depth in sending Adam Macko to Toronto as part of the Hernandez trade, even if Macko wasn’t expected to reach the majors in 2023.
As noted earlier, the Mariners will be mostly counting on their existing bullpen mix to account for Swanson’s departure. Some more relief depth was added in the form of minor league signings and lower-profile trades and waiver claims, but the M’s did sign a reliever to a guaranteed deal by adding Trevor Gott for $1.2MM. Gott posted decent numbers over 45 2/3 innings out of the Brewers’ bullpen in 2022, and while he won’t get the high-leverage assignments that Swanson drew, Gott will bring some experience to the back of the pen.
Seattle’s chances of a deeper run into October might hinge on how much of a step forward their lineup can take, given how the pitching staff still looks like a strength. The first step for the Mariners is just getting out of the AL West, since the Astros will still be a powerhouse and the Angels and Rangers each made several moves to upgrade themselves over the winter.
How would you grade the Mariners’ offseason? (poll link for app users)
How would you grade the Mariners' offseason?
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B 55% (1,212)
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C 28% (612)
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A 10% (213)
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D 6% (125)
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F 3% (57)
Total votes: 2,219
Mariners Return Rule 5 Pick Chris Clarke To Cubs
Right-hander Chris Clarke is officially once again part of the Cubs organization, as the Mariners returned the Rule 5 Draft selection to Chicago. (Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune was among those to report the news.)
The Mariners took Clarke with the 22nd pick of last December’s R5, taking the opportunity to get a closer look at the 24-year-old in action. Clarke was a fourth-round draft choice for the Cubs in 2019, and the 6’7″ USC product had posted some solid strikeout rates and very impressive walk rates over 196 2/3 career innings in the minors.
Those numbers came with a modest 4.26 ERA, however, though some bad batted-ball luck was partially to blame. Clarke is more of a grounder specialist, and thus his 58% groundball rate in 96 2/3 Double-A innings last season would’ve likely led to better results had Clarke not been hampered by a large .375 BABIP.
As per the regulations of the Rule 5 Draft, Clarke would’ve had to remain on Seattle’s active roster for the entire season in order for the team to fully assume his rights from the Cubs. Even with Clarke’s potential, it seemed unlikely that he would’ve made the jump from Double-A to the majors and won a job in a pretty loaded Mariners relief corps. Seattle had one of baseball’s better bullpens in 2022, leaving Clarke will little margin for error just in breaking camp with the team, let alone sticking with the M’s throughout the year.
Kole Calhoun Opts Out Of Minor League Deal With Mariners
Kole Calhoun has exercised the opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Mariners, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). Yesterday was the first designated opt-out deadline for Article XX(B) free agents on minor league deals, and since the Mariners weren’t planning to include Calhoun on their active roster, Calhoun instead chose free agency.
Even with Taylor Trammell and utilityman Dylan Moore projected to start the year on the injured list, there wasn’t room in Seattle’s outfield for Calhoun to win a job. The 35-year-old didn’t help his case with a lackluster .250/.314/.281 slash line over 35 plate appearances in Cactus League action.
It has been a tough couple of years for Calhoun, as he has batted only .208/.269/.343 over 606 PA since the start of the 2021 season. Injuries have factored into that lack of production, but Calhoun’s struggles cost him playing time with the Rangers in 2022 as Texas just preferred to give younger players more of a look against big-league pitching. The Rangers held a $5.5MM club option on Calhoun for 2023 that they declined last fall, leading to Calhoun’s last trip to the open market and his subsequent contract with Seattle.
Calhoun will now join the field of free agents, late-camp roster cuts, and fellow Article XX(B) opt-out players in trying to land another deal with a new team. Calhoun’s experience and pre-2021 track record figures to get him some looks from clubs looking to add outfield depth or perhaps fill a vacancy due to injury.
Mariners Release Leonys Martin
The Mariners announced last night that outfielder Leonys Martin, who’d been in camp on a minor league deal, has been released. He’s once again a free agent.
Martin, 35, hasn’t played in the Majors since 2019, spending the past three and a half seasons with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He returned to the Mariners organization, for whom he played in 2016-17, in hopes of securing a roster spot this spring. The veteran center fielder had a decent showing in a limited sample of 24 plate appearances, going 5-for-19 with a double, three walks and nine strikeouts in 24 plate appearances (.263/.375/.316).
Through his first two and a half seasons in NPB, Martin hit for a low average but got on base at a high clip and hit for plenty of power, evidenced by a .233/.363/.494 batting line in 1175 plate appearances. His production cratered in his age-34 campaign this past season, however, as Martin batted just .163/.293/.317 in 266 trips to the plate.
Martin’s most recent productive Major League season came back in 2018, so it’s fair to wonder whether another opportunity with a new organization will present itself. That said, he was solid for much of his time in Japan and has a long track record as a premium outfield defender and baserunner. Those skills have helped him offset the tepid .244/.301/.367 batting line (81 wRC+) he’s put together through 2792 plate appearances across parts of nine MLB seasons.