Mitch Haniger unsurprisingly exercises contract option with Seattle

As per reports, Mitch Haniger has declined to exercise his contract opt out with the Seattle Mariners and will now make $15.5 million in 2025.

Despite not being officially confirmed yet by the club themselves, Mitch Haniger appears set to remain with the Seattle Mariners. According to a report by The Associated Press via Seattle Sports, he has exercised his player option for the 2025 campaign.

As a result, Haniger is now set to earn $15.5 million next year. This represents the final season of a three-year, $43.5 million deal he signed with the San Francisco Giants back in December 2022.

Even though they’d never admit it officially — and understandably so — the Mariners would have preferred if the 33-year-old had instead exercised his contract opt out. He’s coming off a year where he set several personal single-season lows, including a .208 batting average, .334 slugging percentage and .620 OPS.

Still a fan favorite in Seattle

It’s clear that Haniger is no longer the player he used to be, although he remains a fan favorite in the city where he has spent the majority of his Major League career. Highlights in Seattle include making the All-Star game in 2018, and setting career bests of 39 homers and 100 RBI in 2021.

Perhaps best of all, the Mountain View, California native holds the club record of eight career walk-offs. He set the mark this past season, during August in a 6-5 win against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Unfortunately, moments like that were too few and far in between for Haniger, who returned to the club last offseason as part of a trade which sent Robbie Ray to San Francisco. In this respect, if you want to find a financial positive in all of this, then consider that the Mariners would have had to pay Ray $25 million in each of the next two seasons.

Haniger has had his issues remaining healthy during his time in the Majors, although the 121 games he started for the Mariners this past season were the third-most of his career. Further, he’s renowned for being a leader and one of the hardest working players on the team.

At the same time however, the 2012 first round draft pick is on the downside of his career and in an ideal world, fans won’t want him starting regularly in right field next season. It will be interesting to see what the Mariners do during the offseason, but it’s tough to see him being traded.

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Roster moves

Monday saw the Mariners make several moves, which has resulted in the 40-man roster now being full again at 40 players. As per executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations Justin Hollander, the moves were as follows:

· Blas Castano, RHP, selected from Triple-A Tacoma.

· Matt Brash, RHP, reinstated from the 60-day Injured List.

· Jackson Kowar, RHP, reinstated from the 60-day Injured List.

· Sam Haggerty, INF/OF, reinstated from the 60-day Injured List.

Do you envision a realistic scenario where Mitch Haniger is not with the Mariners next year? Or do you expect him to remain in Seattle for the duration of the 2025 season? Let us know in the comments section below