SEATTLE -- After moving eight of their nine potential arbitration-eligible players off the roster this offseason, the Mariners offered a contract to Roenis Elias -- their lone remaining arbitration-eligible player -- prior to Friday's non-tender deadline.
Right-handed reliever Alex Colome was the other remaining arbitration-eligible player, but he was traded to the White Sox on Friday for catcher Omar Narvaez.
The Mariners previously had traded James Paxton and Mike Zunino -- two other arbitration-eligible candidates -- earlier this month.
Seattle also had outrighted relievers Justin Grimm and Ryan Cook to Triple-A Tacoma, while pitchers Erasmo Ramirez and Nick Vincent declined outrights and became free agents, and catcher Chris Herrmann was claimed off waivers by the Astros. All would have been arbitration-eligible had they remained on the 40-man roster.
Elias earned just over the Major League minimum at $580,000 last year. The 30-year-old went 3-1 with a 2.65 ERA in 23 appearances, including four spot starts, after being re-acquired from the Red Sox in an April trade.
Teams had to tender contracts to all players on their roster by Friday's deadline or they become free agents. That's a routine procedure for players with less than three years of service time earning the MLB minimum. But clubs sometimes non-tender -- or don't offer contracts -- to arbitration-eligible players in the 4-6 year category who might be in line for significant salary increases that aren't in line with their perceived value to the team.
The Mariners tendered offers to all 24 players who weren't already under long-term contracts. The club's 40-man roster stands at 35.