Mariners, reigning AL Cy Young winner Ray agree to five-year contract
Two days after making a splash in the trade market, Seattle’s front office opened their checkbooks and bolstered their starting rotation.
Last year’s AL Cy Young award winner is, reportedly, a Seattle Mariner.
The club has yet to make a formal announcement, but ESPN’s Jeff Passan — and others shortly thereafter — confirmed that Robbie Ray and the Mariners agreed on a five-year, $115 million deal.
Ray can opt out after three years, according to reports. In 32 games with the Toronto Blue Jays last season, Ray struck out a league-leading 248 batters in 193 1/3 innings. He sported an AL-best 2.84 earned run average and 1.045 WHIP.
The news came hours after reports that free agent Max Scherzer signed a three-year, $130 million deal with the New York Mets, as all indications pointed to a busy day for front offices around the league. MLB and the MLBPA are currently in Texas to discuss a new collective-bargaining agreement, and both sides have until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday night to agree upon new terms.
If not, a labor stoppage ensues.
That set the stage for Monday. There’s belief around the league that deals completed after Monday won’t process before the Wednesday-night deadline, as physicals are required to complete a signing.
Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reported that a team announcement could come as soon as Tuesday afternoon, and that Ray is flying to Seattle to complete his physical.
Ray, 30, joins Marco Gonzales, Chris Flexen, and Logan Gilbert in Seattle’s 2022 rotation. There’s a chance someone else on the roster could win the fifth spot, though President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto would like to add, via free agency or trade, another starter.
And Dipoto hasn’t narrowed his sights to the pitching market, as other names have been linked to the team as recent as Monday afternoon. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported that Seattle is “looking at several other big pieces” including infielders Javier Baez and Kris Bryant.
Because Ray rejected Toronto’s $18.4 million qualifying offer before signing with the Mariners, Seattle loses their third-round draft choice in 2022.
A 12th-round pick in the 2010 draft by the Washington Nationals, Ray was traded to Detroit in 2013 in a package centered around starting pitcher Doug Fister. He’d debut for the Tigers in 2014, but was traded again to Arizona after his debut season.
Ray’s career totals feature an even 4.00 earned run average, spanning eight seasons. His first All-Star nod came in 2017 with the Diamondbacks, and Arizona traded Ray to Toronto before the 2020 trade deadline. He signed a one-year, $8 million deal to stay with the Blue Jays in 2021.
This story was originally published November 29, 2021 at 1:27 PM.