As expected, the Mariners Friday made a qualifying offer to free-agent RHP Hisashi Iwakuma for one year at $15.8 million, and general manager Jerry Dipoto reached into his recent history with the Los Angeles Angels to claim off waivers OF Dan Robertson, 30, likely to fill a role as a fourth outfielder.
Iwakuma, 34, had a 9-5 record and 3.54 ERA in 20 starts the past season for the Mariners, which included a no-hitter. The Mariners hope to bring him back. Iwakuma has until 8 p.m. Nov. 13 to accept or reject the offer. If he rejects it, he will go into the free agent market, where the Mariners can bid for his services.
Robertson spent most of last season in the Angels’ minor league system, but had two stints in the majors, batting .280 with 10 runs scored and seven RBIs in 37 games while playing all outfield positions.
Robertson began the season with AAA Salt Lake City, where he hit .265 with 27 runs, 16 doubles, one home run and 20 RBIs in 60 games. In parts of two MLB seasons with the Angels (2015) and Texas Rangers (2014), Robertson combined to hit .274 with 33 runs, 11 doubles, one triple and 28 RBIs in 107 games.
In eight minor league seasons in the Padres, Rangers and Angels organizations, he hit .299 with 27 home runs, 334 RBIs and a .377 on-base percentage in 793 games. Robertson was selected by San Diego in the 33rd round of the 2008 amateur draft out of Oregon State University.
Th make room on the 40-man roster, the Mariners outrighted RHP JC Ramirez to AAA Tacoma. Ramirez, 27, split the season between Seattle and Arizona, going 1-2 with a 5.32 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 20 relief appearances. With Seattle, he went 0-1 with a 7.56 ERA in eight appearances after being selected from Tacoma Sept. 8.
Ramirez appeared in 14 games with the Rainiers, going 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA. He was acquired by Seattle in a minor league trade from Arizona July 27.
The 40-man roster remains at 37.
In a coaching move, infield coach Chris Woodward declined the Mariners’ offer to remain, saying he preferred to get a job with a team closer to his Florida home.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2211218 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2211218">3 Comments
If anything Robertson could give them a quality bat off the bench. Hard to say what Kuma will do. Conventional Wisdom could say he’ll decline and opt for free agency. But maybe not depending on how much he likes it here.