Four players — RHP Kevin Millwood, C Miguel Olivo, LHP Oliver Perez and LHP George Sherrill — were given their free agency Monday by the Mariners and become free agents. With the transactions, none a surprise, Seattle’s 40-man roster now has 35 players.
Millwood, 37, Seattle’s fifth starter, went 6-12 with one shutout and a 4.25 ERA in 28 starts. The 16-year veteran made his last start Sept. 12 at Toronto, and did not pitch the rest of the year due to right shoulder soreness. He ranked T4th in the AL with 10 no-decisions and had the fourth-lowest run support average by an AL starter (3.75 RSA).
Millwood became part of Mariners history June 9 when he and five relievers combined on a no-hitter at Safeco Field against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Millwood started the game and worked six innings before leaving after one warm-up pitch in the seventh inning with a right groin strain.
Olivo, 34, saw action in 87 games, starting a team-high 68 at catcher. He hit .222 (70×315) with 12 home runs and 29 RBI, his seventh consecutive season with double digits in home runs. Behind the plate he ranked tied for 4th in the American League with 19 caught stealing. Olivo’s stint with the Mariners was his second.
Perez, 31, posted a 2.12 ERA (7 ER, 29.2 IP) in 33 appearances. After spending most of his career as a starting pitcher, Perez made the conversion to the bullpen where he posted the ninth-best ERA by an AL reliever (min. 30 games).
Sherrill, 35, spent nearly the entire season on the disabled list with a left elbow injury. He made two appearances (0-0, 27.00 ERA) before going on the DL April 13. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow May 4.
