Mariners reach agreement with free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki
SEATTLE — Even before the Mariners complete one deal, they’re on to another one.
The latest addition is free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki, who fits the club’s new preferred profile as an athletic player with on-base skills.
Aoki, 33, has a .287 average and a .353 on-base percentage in four seasons since coming to the big leagues after eight seasons in Japan. He matched those numbers last season in 93 games for the San Francisco Giants.
The deal was first reported on twitter by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Terms of the deal were not immediately known, but it is believed to be a one-year agreement that includes at least one club option.
The Mariners landed Aoki just hours after closing in on a trade to send first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo and another player to Baltimore for catcher/first baseman Steve Clevenger.
The third player in the deal has not been identified, but he is believed to be someone currently on the Mariners’ 40-man roster.
The physical examination on Aoki will be keenly analyzed because he finished last season on the disabled list because of post-concussion issues after being hit in the head Aug. 9 by a pitch.
While Aoki continued to play for a while after the incident, he experienced recurring lightheadedness that forced him to the disabled list in early September. He also missed a month earlier in the season due to a broken leg.
Aoki became a free agent when the San Francisco chose not to exercise a $5.5 million option for next season.
Prior to last season, Aoki averaged 146 games while playing in 2012-13 for Milwaukee and 2014 for Kansas City. He signed a one-year deal last January with the Giants for $4.7 million that included a club option.
DE FRATUS SIGNS ONE-YEAR DEAL
And another deal: The Mariners bolstered their bullpen depth Wednesday morning by signing right-hander Justin De Fratus to a one-year deal for $750,000.
The Mariners, apparently, are banking on a bounce-back year from De Fratus, who compiled a 5.51 ERA last season in 61 games for Philadelphia. He had a 2.39 ERA over 54 games in 2014.
De Fratus, 28, became a free agent in October when he rejected an outright assignment to the minors upon clearing waivers.
WAIVER CLAIMS
The Mariners were also busy on the waiver wire. They claimed first baseman Andy Wilkins from Baltimore and lost catcher John Hicks to Minnesota.
Wilkins, 27, is a six-year pro whom the Orioles acquired in a Sept. 6 waiver claim from Toronto. He opened last season in the Dodgers’ system at Triple-A Oklahoma City before the Blue Jays obtained him in a cash deal.
The Mariners cleared space for Wilkins by designating left-hander Edgar Olmos for assignment. Olmos, 25, was 1-0 while allowed seven runs in 14 innings over six appearances, including two starts.
The Orioles designed Wilkins for assignment on Nov. 25 to clear space for outfielder L.J. Hoes, whom they acquired from Houston. Wilkins batted .251 last season in Triple-A with 18 homers and 79 RBIs in 126 games.
The Mariners designated Hicks, 26, for assignment on Nov. 23 to clear roster space after signing veteran free-agent catcher Chris Iannetta.
Hicks was a fourth-round pick in the 2011 draft who made his big-league debut last season by going 2-for-32 in 17 games. He has a .280 average in 403 games over five minor-league seasons.
The Mariners acquired Olmos from Miami in a Nov. 20, 2014 waiver claim. He was subsequently lost to Texas in a February waiver claim but returned to the Mariners when a physical exam revealed a shoulder injury.
Olmos made 20 appearances last season at Triple-A Tacoma, where he compiled a 1-1 record and a 3.55 ERA.
This story was originally published December 2, 2015 at 9:55 AM with the headline "Mariners reach agreement with free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki."