MLB Trade and Roster Rumors: Seattle Mariners Reach Deal With Mike Zunino, Avoid Arbitration

By Noriel See, Christian Post Contributor Friday, January 12, 2018

Aside from acquiring two-time All-Star Dee Gordon from the Miami Marlins for Dee Gordon last month, the Seattle Mariners haven't really made any other major move this offseason as they look to end the longest postseason drought in baseball. But at least they have managed to lock catcher Mike Zunino in with a one-year, $2.975-million deal to avoid the arbitration process.

ESPN's Jerry Crasnick was the first to report that the two sides have reached an agreement on the contract. The Mariners have yet to confirm the report.

Zunino posted a 0.251/0.331/0.509 in 124 games with the Mariners last season to go with 25 home runs, 64 runs batted in and 25 doubles in 435 plate appearances.

The club still has a lot of work to do, though, because they still haven't reached an agreement with starting pitchers James Paxton and Erasmo Ramirez, and relief pitchers David Phelps and Nick Vincent as the deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players looms.

They will have until Friday, 10 a.m. PT, to exchange contract figures.

"If any of the remaining players don't come to agreement prior to the deadline, both sides will exchange numbers of what they believe the player is worth. The two sides can continue negotiating, but if no agreement is reached prior to a February hearing date, then an independent arbitration panel will choose either the number submitted by the player or the team," MLB Network's Greg Johns explains.

"Phelps, acquired by Seattle from the Marlins last July, does have a history of taking his cases to arbitration," Johns noted.

Meanwhile, SB Nation's Chris Cotillo has reported that right-hander Christian Bergman has agreed to sign a minor-league deal to return to the Mariners.

Bergman went 4–5 with a 5.00 earned run average (ERA) last season. He also recorded 33 strikeouts in 54 innings pitched.