SEATTLE -- General manager Jack Zduriencik made it clear from day one this offseason that the Mariners' top priority was to acquire a big right-handed hitter to put behind Robinson Cano in the lineup. The club has filled that need by reaching an agreement with free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz.A source on Monday confirmed an initial report out of the Dominican Republic that the 34-year-old Cruz has agreed to a four-year, $57 million contract. The Mariners have not commented on or confirmed the deal, which is pending a physical exam.
The Mariners have been interested in Cruz for the past two offseasons, engaging in talks last year that never came to fruition before the Dominican native signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Orioles in Spring Training. Cruz went on to lead the American League with 40 home runs while putting up a .271/.333/.525 slash line and 108 RBIs.The Mariners sorely need some right-handed balance to their lineup and Cruz would slot in between left-handers Cano and Kyle Seager, the latter of whom is expected to finalize a seven-year, $100 million extension this week.Cruz played in 89 games as designated hitter and 70 in the outfield last season for the Orioles. With Corey Hart and Kendrys Morales getting most of the at-bats, Seattle's DHs had the worst production in the AL with a .190/.266/.301 line and just 15 home runs and 50 RBIs.Cruz has spent eight of his 10 Major League seasons in the AL West with the Rangers and is a career .268 hitter who has averaged 29 home runs a season over the past six seasons.Cruz also had a strong postseason for the Orioles, hitting .357 with two home runs and seven RBIs in seven games. The Orioles wanted to retain the player who was voted Most Valuable Oriole by the Baltimore chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, but apparently were unwilling to go beyond a three-year deal.The Orioles extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer to Cruz, so Seattle will lose its first-round Draft pick, which currently would have been the 19th selection.The Mariners finished 87-75 in 2014, coming one win shy of tying for a Wild Card berth with a club that led the AL in ERA but was tied for 11th in runs and was last in the league in OPS.Seattle's push for a right-handed bat comes at a time when free-agent hitters have been the early hot-ticket items. The Mariners made a strong bid for DH Victor Martinez, but he re-signed with Detroit. Hanley Ramirez, Russell Martin, Yasmany Tomas, Michael Cuddyer and Billy Butler have also come off the board in the initial stages of free agency.The Mariners were linked to nearly all of those hitters, while veteran right fielder Torii Hunter told the Los Angeles News Group last weekend that Seattle is one of four teams he's talking with about a deal.Manager Lloyd McClendon has said he'd love to add two quality bats to his lineup, so it remains to be seen if the Mariners continue pursuing offense as they head into the Winter Meetings in San Diego next week. But Cruz, whom Cano was pushing for last spring after signing his 10-year, $240 million deal, clearly would be the prize addition for a team looking to challenge in the AL West after improving by 16 wins this past season.
Greg Johns/MLB.com
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