The Seattle Mariners non-tendered reliever Gregory Santos on Friday, making him a free agent rather than paying an estimated $800,000 through salary arbitration, according to insider Francys Romero.
It’s a move that speaks to how much injuries have derailed Santos’ career over the past two seasons.
Santos has appeared in just 16 games combined across 2023 and 2024, posting a 5.02 ERA. That’s not nearly enough work for a team to justify even a modest arbitration salary.
The right-hander showed real promise in 2022 with the White Sox, when he put up a 3.39 ERA and struck out 66 batters in 66.1 innings. That performance convinced Seattle to acquire him, but he’s barely been on the field since arriving.
Santos carries a career 4.17 ERA at the major league level. If he can finally stay healthy, there’s still a functional reliever in there somewhere.
The question now is whether any team will take a flyer on the 25-year-old, knowing they’re betting on his ability to overcome the injury issues that have basically cost him two full seasons.
For Seattle, it’s another reminder that their bullpen remains a work in progress heading into 2025.
