Mariners agree to 1-year deal with Stanek

The Seattle Mariners agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent right-hander Ryne Stanek.

The deal will pay him a base salary of $4 million and includes another $2 million worth of performance bonuses, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.

The 32-year-old spent the last three seasons in the Houston Astros' bullpen. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, posting a 1.15 ERA with a 10.2 K/9 in 54.2 regular-season innings and didn't allow a run in the playoffs to help the Astros win the World Series.

He was unable to sustain that production in 2023, though, as his ERA jumped to 4.09 and his K/9 rate dropped by over one batter in 55 appearances.

Stanek adds more depth and firepower - his fastball velocity ranked in the 96th percentile in 2023 - to a revamped Mariners bullpen that's already missing some key pieces. Late-inning relievers Matt Brash and Gregory Santos both suffered injuries early in camp, and it's unclear if either pitcher will be ready for Opening Day.

Stanek marks the fifth new addition to Seattle's relief corps this offseason. The team previously traded for Santos, Jackson Kowar, and Carlos Vargas, while also signing Austin Voth in free agency.

The St. Louis native owns a lifetime 3.45 ERA, 4.14 FIP, and 1.27 WHIP along with 406 strikeouts and four saves across 338 big-league appearances with the Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, and Miami Marlins.