M’s avoid salary arbitration with all 7 eligible players

Published 10:53 pm Friday, January 13, 2017

By Bob Dutton

The News Tribune

SEATTLE — The Mariners aren’t only prolific these days at executing roster moves. They showed an ability Friday to sweep the board in terms of negotiating contracts.

The club completed a deal-making whirlwind covering roughly 12 hours by reaching agreements with all eight of their arbitration-eligible players prior to the deadline for both sides to exchange figures.

The process began Thursday night when shortstop Jean Segura, one of four arbitration-eligible players acquired by the Mariners in their many off-season deals, agreed to a one-year deal for $6.2 million.

On Friday morning, outfielder Leonys Martin agreed to a one-year deal for $4.85 million. Then first baseman/outfielder Danny Valencia, another newcomer, agreed to a one-year deal for $5.5 million.

Both deals were first reported by Jon Heyman of www.FanRagSports.com but later confirmed by The News Tribune.

Shortly thereafter, the Mariners confirmed deals with outfielder Jarrod Dyson, left-handed starting pitchers Drew Smyly and James Paxton; and right-handed relievers Nick Vincent and Evan Scribner.

The salary numbers for those deals began to trickle out later in the day.

Smyly, 27, agreed to a deal for $6.85 million just two days after being obtained in a trade with Tampa Bay.

He made $3.75 million last season when he was 7-12 with a 4.88 ERA in 30 starts.

Dyson, 32, received $2.8 million after making $1.725 million last season while batting .278 with 30 stolen bases in 107 games for Kansas City. The Mariners acquired him in a Jan. 6 trade.

Paxton, 28, will get $2.35 million in his first year of arbitration eligibility after making $526,200 last season when he was 6-7 with a 3.79 ERA in 20 starts.

Vincent, 30, was also eligible for the first time and jumped to $1.325 million after going 4-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 60 appearances. He made $525,500 in 2016.

Scribner, 31, agreed to a deal for $907,500 — a raise of exactly $100,000. He missed most of last season because of a strained back muscle before working 14 scoreless innings in 12 September appearances.

Segura, 26, made $2.6 million last season at Arizona while setting career highs with 20 homers, 64 RBIs and a .319 average. The Mariners acquired him on Nov. 23 as part of a five-player trade.

Valencia, 32, made $3.15 million last season at Oakland while batting .287 with 17 homers and 51 RBIs. The Mariners obtained him in a Nov. 12 trade for minor-league pitcher Paul Blackburn.

Martin, 28, made $4.15 million last season while batting .247 for the Mariners with 15 homers and 47 RBIs.

Smyly and Dyson were also off-season trade acquisitions. Paxton, Vincent and Scribner played last season for the Mariners.

Martin to Tacoma

Right-hander Cody Martin was sent to Triple-A Tacoma on an outright assignment after clearing waivers.

The Mariners designated Martin, 27, for assignment Wednesday in order to clear space on the 40-man roster after acquiring pitchers Drew Smyly and Shae Simmons in trades.

Martin was 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA last season in nine big-league games. He spent most of the season at Tacoma, where he was 10-7 with a 3.62 in 25 games, including 20 starts.