The Seattle Mariners have reportedly abandoned their pursuit of Nelson Cruz with reports indicating that the club is now aggressively shopping for another starting pitcher.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal revealed that the Mariners recently talked to free agent pitchers Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana about a possible deal after losing two of their pitchers to injuries.
Starting pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma will be sidelined for next four to six weeks after sustaining a strained tendon in his middle finger, while Taijuan Walker is dealing with a shoulder injury.
Both pitchers turned down qualifying offers from their respective teams, which means that the team that will sign them will have to surrender a draft pick.
The Mariners might be willing to lose a draft pick since they highest pick that they could lose is their third-round selection. Seattle's first-round pick is protected and their second-round pick was already surrendered when they struck a lucrative deal with Robinson Cano.
Seattle's third-rounder still holds a high value, but the Mariners could be more than willing to lose it especially if either Jimenez or Santana agrees to a discounted contract.
"A third-round pick is still a significant ancillary cost -- especially considering that they would lose the slot money assigned to the pick as well -- but the Mariners don't have many other choices," SB Nation reported. "Santana and Jimenez have been languishing on the open market now for months. The discounted contracts they might accept at this point might be enough for the M's to consider taking the draft-neutering plunge."
Jimenez is said to be on top of the Mariners' list, but signing him will be easier said than done since several teams, including the aggressive Toronto Blue Jays are also making a strong push to sign the 30-year-old pitcher.
Previous rumors also indicated that his former team, the Cleveland Indians, are also in the mix, but recent reports confirmed that the Tribes have no interest in reuniting with Jimenez, who snubbed the team's $14.1-million qualifying offer in November.
On the other hand, acquiring Santana is not expected to be a walk in the park as well. The Blue Jays are also in play along with the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
© 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
