Mariners sign free agent relief pitcher Fernando Rodney
Right-handed closer has 85 saves over past two seasons.
PEORIA, Ariz. -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik today announced that the club has signed right-handed relief pitcher Fernando Rodney to a two-year through the 2015 season. Per club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Rodney will take the field today with the rest of the Seattle pitchers and catchers for the team's first workout.
Rodney, 36 (turns 37 March 18), went 5-4 with 37 saves and a 3.38 ERA (25 ER, 66.2 IP) in 68 relief appearances with Tampa Bay in 2013. Over the last two seasons with the Rays he combined to record 85 saves with a 1.91 ERA in 144 relief appearances (76 in '12, 68 in '12). During this two-year stretch, he ranked 2nd among American League relievers in saves and ERA, while ranking 3rd in appearances.
In 12 Major League seasons with the Detroit Tigers (2002-2009), Los Angeles Angels (20010-11) and Tampa Bay Rays (2012-13), the right-hander is 29-44 with 172 saves and a 3.70 ERA in 563 career relief appearances. Since 2009 Rodney has been one of the more dependent relief pitchers in the American League, ranking 2nd in appearances (328), 3rd in games saves (139) and in innings pitched (317.0). In 2012 he finished 5th in the BBWAA AL Cy Young voting, after going 2-2 and 48 saves and a 0.60 ERA (5 ER, 74.2 IP) in a career-high 76 relief appearances. There ERA was the lowest by a relief pitcher in Major League history (min. 50.0 IP).
The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was originally signed as a non-draft international free agent by the Detroit Tigers on November 1, 1997. He made his Major League debut with the Tigers in 2002, pitched for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic (2006, 2013) and was an American League All-Star in 2012.