SEATTLE — The Mariners avoided a possible salary-arbitration hearing with center fielder Leonys Martin by reaching agreement Thursday on a one-year contract for $4.15 million.
The deal represents a $400,000 raise for Martin, whom the Mariners obtained with pitcher Anthony Bass from Texas in Nov. 16 trade for reliever Tom Wilhelmsen, outfielder James Jones and utilityman Pat Kivlehan.
Martin, 27, slumped last season to .219 in 95 games and lost his starting job. He then suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand after being demoted in August to Triple-A Round Rock.
The Mariners project Martin as their starting center fielder in a belief he will return to his 2011-14 form, when he batted .264 in 334 games. He had a combined 8.1 WAR (wins above replacement) rating in 2013-14.
Martin was one of three eligible Mariners who filed Tuesday for arbitration. The club remains in negotiations with the other two players: relievers Charlie Furbush and Evan Scribner.
Furbush and Scribner will exchange salary figures with the club if still unsigned by 10 a.m. Friday, and an arbitration hearing by a three-judge panel will hear their cases at a date to be determined from Feb. 1-21 in Phoenix.
Negotiations between players and clubs can continue until the panel issues a binding decision by choosing one of the two submitted salary proposals.
Furbush, 29, made $1.3 million last season for the Mariners while compiling a 2.08 ERA in 33 games before suffering a season-ending biceps and rotator-cuff injury.
The Mariners acquired Scribner, 30, from Oakland in a Dec. 8 trade for minor-league pitcher Trey Cochran-Gill. Scribner made $512,500 last season while going 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA in 54 games.
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