Seattle Mariners prioritizing re-signing Hisashi Iwakuma
New Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry DiPoto said in a radio interview on Wednesday that the team is making re-signing Hisashi Iwakuma a top priority this offseason. After giving up three or less runs in every start in the month of September, the 34-year-old has done well to leave a good impression on Seattle’s new boss in the final month of the season.
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After a rough start to 2015 that included a rocky set of April starts and a lat injury, Iwakuma bounced back in July to turn his season around. His first start after coming back wasn’t ideal, as he gave up five runs. However, he’d go on to give up two or less runs in his next three starts, and has only given up more than three runs in two starts since.
Iwakuma also threw one of the six no-hitters in baseball this season, striking out seven batters and walking three against the Orioles on August 12 to put a capstone on his turnaround.
Outside of Felix Hernandez, the Mariners will be leaning on a group of young and unpredictable starters going into 2016. While they could theoretically pursue a free-agent starter or two, retaining Iwakuma will give the club some stability atop the rotation as it looks to build on an underwhelming season that showed signs of promise. The lat injury combined with Iwakuma’s age make gauging his true value a tricky task, though it seems a two-three year deal in the $10-13 million-per-year range would be reasonable and plausible for both sides.
The key decision Dipoto will have to make as it pertains to Iwakuma is whether paying him market value is a higher priority than using those dollars on other needs. Whether that’s a pair of lesser starters, a shortstop (Ian Desmond?), a center fielder, a first baseman or some bullpen arms, the Mariners also have plenty of areas they could improve beyond just the starting rotation. But with both Iwakuma and Seattle seeming very interested extending their relationship, it seems likely that some sort of deal will be reached to keep the Japan native in a Mariners uniform through at least 2016.