The Seattle Mariners have already made their biggest offseason splash by re-signing Josh Naylor to a five-year deal. Now they face a smaller but still meaningful decision ahead of MLB’s non-tender deadline on Friday.
The deadline requires teams to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players or release them. If a club believes a player’s projected arbitration salary is too high, it can non-tender them and allow them to enter free agency.
MLB Trade Rumors lists reliever Trent Thornton as Seattle’s most notable non-tender candidate, with his arbitration figure projected at $2.5 million.
Thornton, who arrived from the Blue Jays during the 2023 season, has been dependable for Seattle. Across 127 appearances with the Mariners, he owns a 3.65 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 140.2 innings—far better than the 4.77 ERA he put up over parts of five seasons in Toronto.
Now 32, Thornton is entering the phase of his career where many relievers become journeymen. Non-tendering him wouldn’t carry much downside for Seattle: they could likely bring him back for less money if they still want him, or opt to sign another similarly priced reliever instead.