The Mariners have reportedly agreed to a two-year, $14 million contract with reliever Fernando Rodney, but it sounds like their eventful winter isn’t over yet:
The #Mariners say they are all in and yes, are cautiously optimistic they will also sign slugger Nelson Cruz.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 6, 2014
We have heard the Mariners connected to Cruz for most of the offseason, so this isn’t a big surprise. A match has almost seemed inevitable at times. While the Mariners could certainly use his right-handed power bat for the middle of their lineup, his market has been slow to develop this winter for a number of reasons. In addition to him being attached to draft pick compensation, there are concerns about his age, defense, and injury history, as well as how he’ll perform following his PED suspension.
The Mariners have already added Robinson Cano, Corey Hart, and Logan Morrison this offseason. Bringing in Rodney and Cruz wouldn’t guarantee them anything, but it would sure make them more interesting. And heck, after giving a barrel of money to Cano, they might as well go for it.