SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners didn’t take long to fill a huge hole in their bullpen, signing veteran free agent relief pitcher Eddie Guardado to a three-year contract Tuesday.
Guardado will get $13 million over the three years and could earn up to $17 million with incentives. He had turned down a three-year, $12-million offer from his former team, the Minnesota Twins. He made $2.7 million last season.
Guardado’s new deal also allows him to opt out of the contract at the end of any year if he’s not the Mariners’ closer.
That clause may cast a doubt over the future of Kazuhiro Sasaki, who was injured and lost his closer’s job last year. Mariners manager Bob Melvin said Sasaki will go into spring training as the closer, which would leave Guardado in the left-handed setup role.
Guardado, 33, replaces Arthur Rhodes, the hard-throwing left-hander who the Mariners decided to let go by not offering him salary arbitration.
The Mariners are getting a pitcher who not only is tough on left-handed hitters, Guardado is durable and versatile as well.
He is known as “Everyday Eddie” because of his resilient left arm, and he became one of the top closers in the American League the past two years. He recorded 86 saves over the past two seasons, and he converted 41 of 45 save opportunities in 2003.
Guardado was 3-5 last season with a 2.89 earned-run average, with 60 strikeouts and 14 walks in 65 1/3 innings. He held left-handed hitters to a .175 batting average.
If Sasaki falters again, Guardado not only will be able to move into the closer’ role, he will enable the Mariners to avoid using right-handed reliever Shigetoshi Hasegawa in that role. Hasegawa starred as a closer after Sasaki was injured, but the club believes the bullpen is stronger when it can utilize his versatility in middle and setup relief, plus duty against left-handed hitters.
Guardado becomes the third free agent signed by the Mariners this offseason.
The team signed outfielder Raul Ibanez of the Kansas City Royals in November, then re-signed Hasegawa on Sunday, just hours before the deadline to offer arbitration to free agents or lose negotiating rights to them.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
