Catcher Mitch Garver and Seattle Mariners finalize $24 million, 2-year contract
Texas Rangers' Mitch Garver, right, celebrates after hitting a home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning in Game 2 of the baseball World Series Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. On Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, the Seattle Mariners bolstered their lineup, agreeing to a $24 million, two-year contract with free-agent catcher Garver. Credit: AP/Julio Cortez
SEATTLE — Catcher Mitch Garver and the Seattle Mariners finalized a $24 million, two-year contract on Thursday.
The 32-year-old hit .270 with 19 homers and 50 RBIs in 87 games for Texas this year. He hit .226 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 14 postseason games, helping the Rangers win the World Series for the first time.
“Mitch is a hitter we had targeted from the start of the offseason,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in a statement. “He’s a proven winner who brings a strong combination of zone discipline, on-base skills, and power to the middle of our lineup, while also adding tough to find depth at key positions.”
Cal Raleigh was Seattle’s starting catcher this season and set career highs with 30 homers and 75 RBIs in 145 games. Garver could see at-bats as a designated hitter while backing up Raleigh behind the plate.
Seattle also has Seby Zavala, who was acquired in a trade with Arizona in November.
The Mariners were third in the AL West at 88-74. They made the playoffs as a wild card in 2022 and advanced to the AL Division Series before they were sept by Houston.
Garver was selected by Minnesota in the ninth round of the 2013 amateur draft and made his big league debut with the Twins in 2017.
Garver is a .252 hitter with 82 homers and 228 RBIs in 451 career big league games. He had his best season in 2019, when he batted .273 with 31 homers and 67 RBIs for Minnesota.
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