Stephen Dunn/Getty Images North America
Nori Aoki, Seattle Mariners
One Year, $5.5 million
Mutual option for 2017
The Mariners didn’t have a lot of money to spend this offseason, so they had to be creative. Aoki fits nicely into the plan of General Manager Jerry Dipoto. He wants a team that can cover spacious SafeCo Field and get on-base. Aoki isn’t the greatest defender but can run and cover ground in the outfield. At the plate he will be leading off for the M’s. They haven’t had a steady lead-off man since Ichiro Suzuki. Aoki has a career .353 OBP over his four years in the big leagues. If he can continue to get on in front of Kyle Seager, Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz, he could have a career year at age 34.
Leave a Reply