The Seattle Mariners added another potentially potent piece to their bench, as they’ve signed outfielder Rob Refsnyder, 34, to a one-year, $6.25 million dollar contract. He will be looked to as a hitting specialist, especially against left-handed pitching.

Refsnyder made his Major League debut with the New York Yankees in 2015, primarily as a second baseman. Early in his MLB career, he showed flashes of offensive potential, but he was eventually traded to the Toronto Blue Jays after just two seasons in Da Bronx. From there, he became very well-traveled.

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In his ten seasons in Major League Baseball, the South Korean star has played for the Yanks, Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox before joining the Mariners this week. Refsnyder’s best MLB season came in 2022, where he hit .307 and had a .384 OBP with six home runs in 177 plate appearances.

Mariners GM says Rob Refsnyder is a solid fit

Following the deal being struck, Seattle general manager Justin Hollander said he felt it was a positive move on the Mariners’ part. He pointed out Refsnyder’s amazing success against lefties as to why the veteran will be an important piece of the puzzle – especially in the postseason, where match-ups matter.

“Rob has been one of the most productive hitters against left-handed pitching over the last four seasons and provides balance and impact offensively to our lineup,” Hollander said in a statement.

Since 2022, Refsnyder has a .312 batting average, .407 OBP, .516 slugging, and an OPS of .924 against left-handed pitching. Those figures rank among the best in Major League Baseball when it comes to facing southpaws. If he notches similar stats in the Emerald City, then this is a six-million-dollar steal for Seattle.

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