Fansided

3 Seattle Mariners who won’t be back next season

By Brad Berreman

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 03: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners reacts as he was pulled from the game during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on October 03, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 03: Kyle Seager #15 of the Seattle Mariners reacts as he was pulled from the game during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park on October 03, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Yusei Kikuchi, SP

Kikuchi earned his place as the Mariners All-Star representative this year with a strong first half (3.48 ERA over 98.1 innings). But it was a lot worse from there, with a 5.98 ERA over 13 second-half starts as his BB/9 rate notably increased by over 1.0.

As laid out nicely by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, Kikuchi’s contract situation has some layers of complication. The Mariners can exercise a series of one-year, $16.5 million options in conjunction with each other, amounting to a four-year, $66 million extension. Or they can decline them, and Kikuchi will have a $13 million player option he could decline in order to test free agency.

In his first three major league seasons, Kikuchi has only been an above-average pitcher during that first half stretch this year. A 3.30 FIP during the shortened 2020 season showed he deserved better than a 5.17 ERA, but the sample size there was obviously small (nine starts-47 innings).

Committing to Kikuchi at $16.5 million a year for the next four years feels like a bad allocation of resources for the Mariners. Even $13 million for 2022, should Kikuchi pick up that option in lieu of trying to find a multi-year deal, seems like a lot to pay him.

Of course, if Kikuchi does pick up his option, assuming the Mariners decline their options, he would only be under contract for 2022. So he could easily be traded in that scenario, even if the return wouldn’t be much more than a mid-tier prospect. Regardless of how it happens, Kikuchi has probably pitched his last game for the Mariners.

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