The Mariners made a move to bolster their lineup Saturday by coming to a one-year, $7 million contract agreement with free-agent outfielder AJ Pollock, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The deal, which is pending a physical, has not been confirmed by the club.
Pollock, 35, slashed .245/.292/.389 over 527 plate appearances with the White Sox in 2022, hitting 14 home runs with 56 RBIs. Those numbers were a dropoff from his 2021 season with the Dodgers, when he slashed .297/.355/.536 with 21 homers and 69 RBIs in 422 plate appearances.
Pollock, who had a .935 OPS against lefties last year, figures to start in left field for the Mariners in 2023, alongside American League Rookie of the Year Julio Rodríguez in center field and newcomer Teoscar Hernández in right. Last month, the Mariners added second baseman Kolten Wong in a trade with the Brewers, who got Seattle’s starting left fielder in 2022 — Jesse Winker — and infielder Abraham Toro in return.
Pollock was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner in 2015 with the D-backs, who took him in the first round (17th pick overall) of the 2009 MLB Draft. He played seven seasons (2012-18) with Arizona before signing as a free agent with the Dodgers prior to the 2019 season. The Dodgers traded him to the White Sox in exchange for Craig Kimbrel just prior to the 2022 season.