Mariners avoid arbitration with Mitch Haniger, agree on $3.01 million contract for 2021

The Mariners have a long history of avoiding going to arbitration with their players, and appear on track to do so once again with the few players on their roster eligible. Today, reportedly, Seattle reached an agreement with OF Mitch Haniger on his salary for 2021. Robert Murray of FanSided is reporting the Mariners and Haniger have agreed on a $3,010,000 salary for Haniger in 2021, representing a $10,000 raise from last year, which was Haniger’s first year of arbitration.

Players cannot earn less than they made the previous year when they go through the arbitration process, however for Haniger, it was unlikely to lead to any improvement considering he missed all of 2020 with injury. Fortunately, the Mariners and Haniger were able to agree on a contract ahead of arbitration, making for the relatively minor raise and no need to get messy in court. Seattle is hoping for a healthy, bounce-back year from their All-Star outfielder to help anchor their young core, and Haniger will need to show he’s still an integral piece in his penultimate year before free agent eligibility.