SEATTLE -- The Mariners began their offseason in earnest on Thursday immediately after the World Series ended, announcing decisions for club options they held on three players.
- Andrés Muñoz: $9 million, exercised
- Bryce Miller: $6.075 million, declined (but still under club control through 2029)
- Victor Robles: $9 million, declined (will receive $500,000 buyout)
They also made their first transaction, claiming outfielder Grant McCray off waivers from the Giants -- which brought the 40-man roster to 35 players. A third-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, McCray has played in 102 games over parts of three seasons in San Francisco, with a slash line of .170/.235/.323 (.558 OPS).
More moves are coming soon, as Seattle will need to reinstate eight from the 60-day injured list by Monday -- RHP Matt Brash, RHP Nick Davila, RHP Logan Evans, INF Colt Emerson, INF Will Wilson, OF Brennan Davis, OF Luke Raley and 1B/OF Michael Toglia.
Robles, 29, now becomes a free agent -- joining outfielder Randy Arozarena, infielder J.P. Crawford, lefty reliever Hoby Milner and outfielder Taylor Ward. All five are eligible to sign with any club beginning at 2 p.m. PT on Monday.
As for Thursday’s announcement on the club options, here’s what it means for each:
RHP Bryce Miller
He’ll now go through the arbitration process for the second time, and will also receive a $15,000 buyout that pairs with the $2.4375 million he earned last season.
Thursday’s announcement signaled that the Mariners intend to negotiate with the 28-year-old right-hander at a lower rate than the club option’s value, which was tacked on after they reached an agreement to avoid arbitration on Jan. 20.
That pact came after Miller was the only one among the Mariners’ six arbitration-eligible players last offseason who did not agree to terms before a Jan. 8 deadline to exchange figures. At that time, Miller filed at $2.625 million, while Seattle had filed at $2.25 million, so his 2026 deal was basically a midpoint of the two.
And the 2027 club option was a good-faith measure to reward him with a sizable bump if he had the dominant season that both the pitcher and team had envisioned -- especially on the heels of his epic postseason last October.
But Miller experienced his most topsy-turvy season yet.
He missed the first seven weeks of the season with a left oblique injury sustained in early Spring Training then went through the worst stretch of his career that included a demotion to the bullpen in late August (albeit with an immediate return to the rotation after Emerson Hancock’s season-ending left abductor strain).
In between, Miller also had the most dominant stretch of his career, where it looked like he was flirting with an All-Star bid. There was also the piggyback drama that he was front-and-center for.
Overall, Miller went 4-10 with a 4.17 ERA (94 ERA+, where league average is 100) in 118 2/3 innings across 22 outings.
Following Hancock’s emergence and Kade Anderson’s arrival, the Mariners will enter 2027 with six capable starters -- and it’s possible that Miller could be the odd man out, if they opt for a traditional five-man group.
OF Victor Robles
Over the life of the two-year, $9.75 million extension he agreed to in August 2024, Robles played in 97 games and was worth 0.3 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs, which represented a significant dip from the 3.1 he was worth in 2024.
His first season in Seattle was electric, as Robles became a sparkplug in the field and atop the lineup -- as well as a fan favorite. And it all came after he was released by the Nationals in early June of that year, which prompted the Mariners to take a flyer on him.
Injuries played a significant part in his limitations the past two years -- a diving catch in San Francisco just 10 days into the 2025 season led to a major shoulder injury, then he dealt with pectoral and shoulder ailments in 2026.
RHP Andrés Muñoz
His option carried a base of $8 million that increased by $1 million based on incentives tied to games finished.
It was easily the most challenging season of his career, as Munoz finished with a 4.24 ERA (93 ERA+), had an MLB-high-tying 10 blown saves and suffered a right knee injury on the season’s penultimate weekend.
But the club option was still a no-brainer for the two-time All-Star, who at his best is one of the sport’s elite closers.