M’s notebook: Furbush reinstated to roster

Published 8:35 pm Thursday, November 5, 2015

The Seattle Mariners, in what amounts to a paper transaction, reinstated left-handed reliever Charlie Furbush on Thursday from the 60-day disabled list.

Furbush, 29, didn’t pitch after July 7 because of what was initially diagnosed as biceps tendinitis. A subsequent examination revealed a slight tear in his rotator cuff. The Mariners placed Furbush on the 60-day list Sept. 8.

Players on the 60-day list, who are not eligible for free agency, must be reinstated to the 40-man roster within five days of the conclusion of the World Series.

Furbush posted a 2.08 ERA in 33 appearances prior to his injury and stranded all 16 of his inherited runners.

The move leaves the Mariners with 38 players on their 40-man roster.

Qualifying offers

All teams face a 2 p.m. PDT Friday to extend qualifying offers to their free agents in order to receive a compensatory draft pick if the player eventually signs elsewhere.

The Mariners are likely to make such an offer to right-handed pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma but are not expected to do so with their two other free agents: outfielder Franklin Gutierrez and left-handed reliever Joe Beimel.

All qualifying offers are one-year guaranteed contracts for $15.8 million. The amount is determined by averaging the salaries of the 125 highest-paid players. (The qualifying offers a year ago were $15.3 million.)

Players have a week to accept or reject the offer. Rejecting an offer does not prevent a player from continuing to negotiate with his former club.

No player has ever accepted a qualifying offer.