SEATTLE — Dylan Moore is finalizing a three-year, $8.875 million contract extension with the Mariners that, with escalators, could take the deal to $9 million, a source told MLB.com. The club has not confirmed the deal.
Moore is recovering from offseason surgery on his core that had been nagging him since late August, when he went on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain. He recently experienced a minor setback, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said during Seattle’s Spring Training preview, but he should be ready for Opening Day.
Moore, 30, is coming off arguably his most productive season yet (excluding the COVID-impacted 2020), having slashed .224/.368/.385 (.753 OPS) with six homers, 11 doubles, two triples, 24 RBIs and 21 stolen bases in 104 games, good for 126 wRC+ (league average is 100) and 2.1 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs. A favorite of manager Scott Servais for his diligent preparation and availability, Moore has emerged as Seattle’s most versatile player, having manned every position last year except for pitcher and catcher.
But with the Mariners’ 2023 roster construction — with more outfield depth and platoon advantages with their infield — he’s slated for a far more specialized middle-infield role, backing up shortstop JP Crawford and new second baseman Kolten Wong, both lefty hitters. The righty-hitting Moore had a .796 OPS against lefties last year compared to a .714 mark against righties.
However, health to the rest of the roster could dictate where Moore plays. For example, he played a serviceable center field for seven games while Julio Rodríguez was sidelined last year.
Moore signed with the Mariners in November 2018, and he was one of the many unproven players that earned regular playing time during Seattle’s talent-evaluation stages in 2019-20, carving out a long-term role for his versatility and production as the team returned to relevance. He’s the latest among the Mariners’ core to sign a multi-year extension, joining Rodríguez, Crawford, starting pitchers Marco Gonzales and Luis Castillo and reliever Andrés Muñoz.
In other arbitration news, reliever Diego Castillo lost his case against the club recently, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, making Castillo the first player to go to a hearing in the Dipoto era (since 2015). The righty will earn $2.95 million in 2023 after filing for $3.225 million. That leaves new outfielder Teoscar Hernández — who filed at $16 million against the club’s $14 million — as the lone arbitration-eligible player yet to agree to terms. If the two sides do not agree, Hernández this month could also go to a hearing.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan was the first to report Moore’s extension.
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