SEATTLE -- Veteran right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma told reporters in Japan on Monday that he has received an offer to re-sign with the Mariners and is attempting to recover from shoulder surgery in time for the upcoming season.
"Hopefully I will be able to make a positive announcement soon," Iwakuma told the Japan Times.
The Mariners recently declined a $10 million club option for 2018 on Iwakuma's last contract. Given his injury situation, any deal Iwakuma signs would likely either be a Minor League contract or a minimal Major League deal with incentives.
The 36-year-old was one of Seattle's top starters from 2012-16, but was 0-2 with a 4.35 ERA in six starts last season before being sidelined the remainder of the year with shoulder issues. He underwent arthroscopic debridement surgery in late September and isn't expected to begin throwing again until around the start of Spring Training in February.
Iwakuma has been working out and rehabbing at Safeco Field this offseason.
"I don't know when I'll be back, but my hope is that it will be in time for the start of the new season," he told the Japan Times.
In six seasons with Seattle, Iwakuma has a 63-39 record and 3.42 ERA in 150 games, including 136 starts. He was an American League All-Star in 2013, threw a no-hitter in 2015 and was voted the Mariners Pitcher of the Year by the Seattle chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America in 2013 and '16.