Mariners sign C Mitch Garver to two-year deal

Field Level Media|published: Thu 28th December, 14:11 2023

Nov 1, 2023; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers catcher Mitch Garver (18) celebrates defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the World Series in game five of the 2023 World Series at Chase Field. credits: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Catcher Mitch Garver signed a two-year contract with the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.

The deal includes an option for the 2026 season.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Mariners, however multiple media outlets reported it was worth $24 million.

"Mitch is a hitter we had targeted from the start of the offseason," said Jerry Dipoto, Mariners president of baseball operations. "He's a proven winner who brings a strong combination of zone discipline, on-base skills, and power to the middle of our lineup, while also adding tough to find depth at key positions."

In 87 games with Texas last season, Garver hit .270 with 19 homers and 50 RBIs while helping the Rangers secure their first World Series championship. He hit just .105 during Texas' postseason run but came up in the clutch in Game 5 of the World Series, delivering a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning.

The Rangers went on to win the game 5-0 to win the World Series over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Garver, 32, spent the past two seasons with Texas after five seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2017-21). He is a career .252 hitter with 82 home runs and 228 RBIs in 450 career games.

—Field Level Media