Kendrys Morales to Reject Seattle Mariners Qualifying Offer
By Paul Novak
Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports is reporting that Seattle Mariners DH Kendrys Morales plans on rejecting the one-year qualifying offer that the Mariners intend to extend to him. The value of the deal would be roughly $13.8 million.
If the Mariners do in fact offer him the one-year deal and it is rejected, the club will be given an additional pick in the upcoming MLB draft. This causes teams to offer contracts when they know a player plans on declining them and gives them some compensation in the form of a pretty early draft pick.
You have to think that the Mariners organization was actually hoping that Morales would accept the offer, however. Morales was the clubs leading hitter this past season. The DH hit .277 with 23 home runs for the Mariners and it’s not crazy to think he could return to his 2009 numbers, .306 32 HR and 109 RBI.
We all know that it has become increasingly difficult for the Mariners to attract offensive talent to the Pacific Northwest over the past few years. With no luck in free agency, last offseason the Mariners managed to trade for two power hitters that would likely elevate the team from the basement of the offensively challenged clubs but even though Mike Morse and Morales helped the M’s improve their home run totals, they still finished near the bottom in runs scored.
Free agent Mike Morse will likely choose a new home and Morales will go after a multi-year contract for big money this offseason. There’s still hope Mariners fans. Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury is a prime candidate who some experts think will ultimately sign with the Mariners.