SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 08: Victor Robles #10 Julio Rodríguez #44 and Lazaro Montes #99 of the Seattle Mariners look on against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park on September 08, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) Getty
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 04: President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto of the Seattle Mariners speaks with media before the game against the Detroit Tigers at T-Mobile Park on August 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Kevin Ng/Getty Images) Getty
The Seattle Mariners declined the options of starting pitcher Bryce Miller and outfielder Victor Robles on Thursday to begin the offseason. In a corresponding move, the Mariners also accepted the option of closer Andres Munoz, which was expected to occur. Robles will now enter free agency while Miller will enter his second to last year of arbitration. While the Mariners could non-tender Miller, expect him to remain under team control for the time being. Seattle also floated the idea of trading Miller for a bat around the MLB Trade Deadline, but nothing materialized.
Miller had an up and down 2026 season, posting a 4.17 earned run average in 118.2 innings. When he returned from the injured list, Miller owned a 2.18 ERA for the first half of the season. However, in the second half, that number ballooned to a 6.05 ERA. Some of Miller's starts became incredible low points for the season like Seattle's 22-0 loss to the now World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers.
The Mariners signed Robles to an extension during the 2024 season while he was playing the best baseball in his career. That year, he batted .307/.381/.433. However, the two years following, that fell to .251/.300/.318. Despite being a decent defender and base runner, he was not excellent enough in those areas to continue keeping him on the roster.
Mariners fans will remember Robles for his bubbly personality and his fantastic game-saving catch against the Houston Astros in 2025.
As the Seattle Mariners enter the 2026-27 offseason, this short timeframe they have to operate prior to the lockout is critical. Declining Robles' option frees up $9,000,000 for the Mariners to spend in free agency. Many expect them to seek a different outfield option for their bench.
For Miller, the Mariners still have club control until 2029, but they will have to negotiate a new deal through arbitration. Projections expect Miller to receive around $3.9 million as calculated by MLB Trade Rumors. He will receive $15,000 in buyout money because of his option being declined.
Robles enters free agency along with outfielder Randy Arozarena, shortstop J.P. Crawford, reliever Hoby Milner, and outfielder Taylor Ward. They can negotiate with other teams beginning on Monday, 2 PM pacific time.
This is a make or break season for president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto.
The Seattle Mariners will announce their new manager in the coming days, which will then turn the attention to the major league roster. After an extremely disappointing 2026 season where the team won 76 games, Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander possess mighty expectations to turn around this roster. A failure to do so could cost them their jobs.
The Mariners need better bats, increased depth, and quality relievers if they want to get back to the ALCS in 2027. This roster had World Series aspirations at the beginning of 2026, but now people wonder if they will even return to the MLB playoffs. The Mariners still have a lot of talent, but the margins around the roster.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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