Robbie Ray, Mariners Finalizing Five-Year Deal Monday
3 years agoReigning American League Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and the Seattle Mariners are finalizing a five-year, $115 million deal on Monday that includes an opt-out after the third season, according to sources familiar with the deal. Seattle will have to give up a draft pick after the lefty declined Toronto's qualifying offer. Ray will give the M's a legitimate ace atop their starting rotation after coming off a career season in 2021 in which he led the AL in ERA (2.84) and innings (193 1/3) and became the first Jays pitcher to lead the league in strikeouts with 248. He had a league-leading 10 starts with double-digit strikeouts. Ray's career-best 6.9% walk rate was a sharp dropoff from his career 11% walk rate through 2020. The 30-year-old southpaw throws hard and has always generated a bunch of strikeouts, but fantasy managers will be banking on him maintaining the mechanics that led to better control and fewer free passes in 2021.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan