FA signing...... a New Catcher

[Bil522]

The best thing about this news is it still isn't confirmed that we have signed him. How do you "Close in on a deal" with a AAAA player. Just offer him $27 more than the league minimum and say take it or leave it.

Lol and it still goes on

[Sexymarinersfan]

He is an ARB guy so I imagine he will be 2 to 2.5M and he will be in the lineup 30+ times a year if healthy.

I was hoping they would take a flyer on Tom Murphy.

I was too. Technically, they still could.

[Sexymarinersfan]

Its official, for $1M.

[GL_Storm]

He's a career backup catcher, but he's been good enough to stick in the majors the last few years. The bat sucks but teams must see something in his defense and ability to work with a pitching staff.

[Captain 97]

Of all the catchers with at least 80 plate appearances in 2025, He ranked 40th in Avg. 30th in OBP, 53rd in in OPS and 49th in fWAR. Last year they paid Garver 11 million more to rank 50th, 33rd, 39th and 51st in those respective categories. Not a super sexy signing but he seems to project out as at least a middle of the pack backup catcher.
I don't have a problem with it IF they spend that 11 Million on a significant upgrade elsewhere in the lineup.

[harmony]

He is an ARB guy so I imagine he will be 2 to 2.5M and he will be in the lineup 30+ times a year if healthy.

I was hoping they would take a flyer on Tom Murphy.

The Cardinals non-tendered Andrew Knitzner after MLB Trade Rumors projected a 2026 salary of $1.3 million. His contract with the Mariners is likely to be less than that even if the contract is an MLB contract.

I don’t know where you are coming up with those numbers. In ARB 1 (2024) he was coming off a 15 OPS+ year in 2023 (Last with Cards) and got 1.8M. (To sign with Tex.) Now he is coming off a 73 OPS+ year (Giants) and is supposed to get less to sign with us coming off a better year?

One can hope but I am thinking this is a waste of money.

The Mariners signed Andrew Knitzner to a reported $1 million, one-year contract:

https://x.com/DKramer_/status/2001029010722365914

[D-train]

Of all the catchers with at least 80 plate appearances in 2025, He ranked 40th in Avg. 30th in OBP, 53rd in in OPS and 49th in fWAR. Last year they paid Garver 11 million more to rank 50th, 33rd, 39th and 51st in those respective categories. Not a super sexy signing but he seems to project out as at least a middle of the pack backup catcher.
I don't have a problem with it IF they spend that 11 Million on a significant upgrade elsewhere in the lineup.

I agree that he is not a super sexy signing.. lol

[Hy Feiber]

Of all the catchers with at least 80 plate appearances in 2025, He ranked 40th in Avg. 30th in OBP, 53rd in in OPS and 49th in fWAR. Last year they paid Garver 11 million more to rank 50th, 33rd, 39th and 51st in those respective categories. Not a super sexy signing but he seems to project out as at least a middle of the pack backup catcher.
I don't have a problem with it IF they spend that 11 Million on a significant upgrade elsewhere in the lineup.

I agree that he is not a super sexy signing.. lol

I agree, he’s not really my type anyway, regardless of his defense.

[Captain 97]

The dude is a backup up catcher. What exactly do you expect? You're not going to have some .700 OPS guy as a backup unless you offer him starter money and promise him a bunch of time at DH. The Dodgers have a 500 Million dollar payroll and their backup catcher had a .583 OPS in 53 games. Yankees Backup Catcher had a .629 OPS in 60 games. If they try to run him out there as a DH 40 times like they did with Garver that's a problem but if he is just getting a start once a week at Catcher I think he will be fine.

[Bil522]

Of all the catchers with at least 80 plate appearances in 2025, He ranked 40th in Avg. 30th in OBP, 53rd in in OPS and 49th in fWAR. Last year they paid Garver 11 million more to rank 50th, 33rd, 39th and 51st in those respective categories. Not a super sexy signing but he seems to project out as at least a middle of the pack backup catcher.
I don't have a problem with it IF they spend that 11 Million on a significant upgrade elsewhere in the lineup.

I agree that he is not a super sexy signing.. lol

It is the equivalent of taking your ugly cousin to her prom at a different school....not that I know what that is like.