SEATTLE _ Infamous for making a five-player blockbuster trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks late in the evening on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2016, Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto joked Monday that he wouldn't interrupt the holiday fun this year with a deal.
But he also hinted that the Mariners would finalize the signings of two free-agent pitchers in the days leading up to it. The first came Tuesday morning when MLB sources confirmed a report from Ken Rosenthal that Dipoto had inked right-hander Kendall Graveman to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with a $3.5 million club option in 2021 and a $500,000 buyout. There is also an array of incentives in the deal that could add another $1.5 million to the salary.
Graveman, who turns 29 on Dec. 21, spent last season in the Cubs organization, rehabbing and recovering from Tommy John surgery. He made two minor-league rehab appearances, pitching three innings in each.
He spent the bulk of his career with the Oakland A's, posting a 23-29 record and 4.38 ERA in 78 starts over parts of five seasons. Graveman was Oakland's opening-day starter in 2018 and made seven starts before elbow issues led to season-ending surgery on July 24, 2018. He signed a one-year contract with the Cubs before last season. But Chicago decided not to exercise a $3 million club option for this season.
If healthy, Graveman is expected to be a part of a Mariners' rotation that features lefties Marco Gonzales, Yusei Kikuchi and Justus Sheffield.
The Mariners' second signing is also expected to be another free-agent starting pitcher similar to Graveman in terms of salary, short-term commitment and high upside. That deal would be finalized Wednesday morning pending a physical.
