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Report: Mariners showing interest in Nori Aoki

Jerome Miron / USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Mariners have shown interest in free-agent outfielder Nori Aoki, according to The News Tribune's Bob Dutton.

With the acquisition of burner Leonys Martin, the corner jobs would fit nicely for Aoki, who has proven to be a serviceable outfielder and scrappy hitter.

As it stands, the Mariners slot Nelson Cruz and Seth Smith in right and left field, respectively. Cruz played in 80 games in the outfield in 2015, with 72 of his appearances occurring in the designated hitter spot.

Smith, meanwhile, appeared in 110 games in the outfield. Although Cruz's bat is what signs his paychecks, Smith isn't a staple, batting .248/.330/.443 last season with 12 homers.

After a solid start to the 2015 campaign, Aoki was hampered by a concussion issue. It's unclear what his status will be come spring training, but, nevertheless, the San Francisco Giants declined to pick up his $5.5-million option.

"At this point, there appears to be real interest (in Aoki) from the Mariners," one industry source told Dutton. "Whether that leads to a deal is anybody's guess."

Beyond batting a mild .287/.353/.380 in 93 games, he also managed to swipe 14 bags. All in all, he would be an upgrade from Smith in the outfield, giving the Mariners two outfielders who can cover significant ground.

Other outfield options for Seattle include Franklin Gutierrez and Mark Trumbo, though they can also serve as the designated hitter on occasion.

If the Mariners added Aoki, his tools wouldn't make him a surefire staple at a corner outfield job, but he would add some life to a lineup that finished 21st in the majors in stolen bases (69).

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