According to reports, the Seattle Mariners have signed free agent outfielder Nori Aoki to a one-year deal with an option for 2017.
The Seattle Mariners have had a busy offseason so far. One day after trading Mark Trumbo to the Baltimore Orioles, the Mariners have reportedly agreed to terms with free agent outfielder Nori Aoki. He’ll get a one-year deal.
Breaking: mariners agree to deal with free-agent OF Norichika Aoki. story on @CBSSports
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 2, 2015
aoki got a deal for one year, plus an option #mariners
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 2, 2015
Nori Aoki should help improve the Mariners outfield situation. He gives them a bit of flexibility, as now they don’t necessarily have to put Nelson Cruz in the outfield. With a plethora of outfield options, Seattle could easily put Cruz at designated hitter, though Cruz has hit better as an outfielder than as a designated hitter during his career.
Aoki gives the Mariners a solid top of the order option and he could find himself as the Mariners leadoff hitter. He gets on base at a nice rate with a .353 on-base percentage. He’s been remarkably consistent, rarely deviating from his career averages of .287 (batting average), .353 (on base percentage), and .386 (slugging percentage). He has above-average speed on the bases and he’s at worst a slightly above-average defensive outfielder.
Aoki joins his third team, having played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, and San Francisco Giants.