The Mariners Friday agreed to terms on 2018 contracts with five arbitration-eligible players: RHPs David Phelps, Erasmo Ramirez and Nick Vincent, LHP James Paxton and C Mike Zunino. No contract terms were available yet and Seattle has no remaining arbitration-eligible players.
Paxton, 29, went 12-5 with 2.98 ERA in 24 starts in 2017 and was named pitcher of the year by the Seattle chapter of Baseball Writers Association of America. He set career bests in wins (12), starts (24), innings (136), strikeouts (156) and ERA (2.98). Paxton had two stints on the 10-day DL: May 5-31 with left forearm strain and Aug. 11-Sept. 14 with strained left pectoral muscle.
He was named American League Pitcher of the Month for July after going 6-0 with a 1.37 ERA with 46 strikeouts and six walks in six starts in July, becoming the first Seattle pitcher to win six games in a month.
Phelps, 31, went 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 10 relief appearances after being acquired by the Mariners from Miami July 20. He made two trips to the disabled list: Aug. 8-23 with an impingement in his right elbow and Sept. 1 to the end of the season with a right elbow posterior impingement.
Ramirez, 27, acquired from Tampa Bay in exchange for RHP Steve Cishek July 28, went 1-3 with a 3.92 ERA in 11 starts, including seven quality starts.
Vincent, 31, was 3-3 with 29 holds and a 3.20 ERA in 69 relief appearances. He set career highs in games, innings and holds and led the club’s relievers in games and ERA and was second in innings.
Zunino, 26, appeared in 124 games, setting career highs in runs scored (52), hits (97), doubles (25), home runs (25) and RBI (64). His homers ranked third in the majors among catchers, trailing only Gary Sanchez of the Yankees (33) and Salvador Perez of the Royals.
Mariners off-season transactions
Oct. 31: Outrighted RHP Casey Lawrence to AAA Tacoma.
Nov. 2: Claimed INF/OF Andrew Romine off waivers from Detroit; reinstated RHP David Phelps and LHP Drew Smyly from the 60-day disabled list; announced that 1B Yonder Alonso, OF Jarrod Dyson, INF Gordon Beckham, C Carlos Ruiz and 1B Danny Valencia had become free agents; declined 2018 options on RHPs Hisashi Iwakuma and Yovani Gallardo.
Nov. 3: Claimed INF Zach Vincej off waivers.
Nov. 7: Outrighted Vincej to Tacoma.
Nov. 14: Hired Jim Brower as an assistant coach.
Nov. 15: Acquired INF Ryon Healy from Oakland in exchange for RHP Emilio Pagan and and INF Alexander Campos.
Nov. 27: Signed RHP Hisashi Iwakuma to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Nov. 30: Claimed LHP Sam Moll off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dec. 4: Hired Brian Delunas as bullpen coach.
Dec. 6: Traded catching prospect David Banuelos to the Twins in exchange for $1 million in international bonus money. Banuelos had been ranked 10th among Seattle’s major league prospects by MLB.com.
Dec. 7: Acquired two-time All-Star Dee Gordon and $1 million in international slot money from Miami in exchange for RHP Robert Dugger, RHP Nick Neidert and INF Christopher Torres.
Dec. 8: Claimed RHP Mike Morin off waivers from Kansas City.
Dec. 10: Released RHP Seth Frankoff to allow Frankoff to pursue a career in South Korea.
Dec. 11: Claimed OF Cameron Perkins off waivers from Philadelphia.
Dec. 13: Acquired RHP Shawn Armstrong from Cleveland and LHP Anthony Misiewicz from Tampa Bay, both for international slot money.
Dec. 14: Selected 1B Mike Ford from the Yankees in the Rule 5 craft; selected C Joseph Odom from Atlanta and C Tyler Baker and LHP Lane Ratliff from Arizona in the AAA portion of the Rule 5 draft.
Dec. 18: Released LHP Andrew Albers, allowing Albers to play in Japan.
Dec. 20: Signed free agent RHP Juan Nicasio to a two-year contract.
Jan. 12: Signed arbitration-eligible RHPs David Phelps, Erasmo Ramirez and Nick Vincent, LHP James Paxton and C Mike Zunino.