Mariners non-tender right-hander Dan Cortes and catcher Chris Gimenez
Seattle's 40-man roster is now at 36 with roster moves
SEATTLE -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced Monday that the Mariners did not tender 2012 contracts to right-handed pitcher Dan Cortes and catcher Chris Gimenez.
Cortes and Gimenez are now free agents and may negotiate with any of the 30 Major League teams, including Seattle. With these transactions, the Mariners' 40-man roster is now at 36 players.
Major League clubs must make contract offers (“tender”) to every player on their 40-man roster who is not already signed for the 2012 season by Dec. 12 at 9 pm (PDT). The Mariners have three players who are arbitration eligible for 2012 (RHP Shawn Kelley, RHP Brandon League, LHP Jason Vargas) and were tendered contracts. They may either agree to a contract or advance to arbitration proceedings with the club.
Cortes, 24, appeared in 10 games with Seattle last season after making his Major League debut in 2010. He spent time on the disabled list with a bruised left ankle and had his season cut short in September after suffering a non-displaced fracture of the third metacarpal in his right hand. He also had surgery in late October to repair a partial tear of his rotator cuff in his right shoulder, a partial tear of his right biceps tendon.
Gimenez, 28 (turns 29 Dec. 27), appeared in 24 games for the Mariners in 2011, making starts at three different positions (C, 1B, LF). He hit .203 (12x59) with 1 home run and 6 RBI. He missed over two months of the season (June 29-Sept. 1) with a strained left oblique.