PEORIA, Ariz. – Earlier this week, the Seattle Mariners signed catcher Mitch Garver to a minor league deal. In camp wearing a number in the 70s, Garver will make $2.25 million if he appears in the major leagues this season with the M’s.

While the Mariners signed veteran Andrew Knizner to a guaranteed $1 million deal this offseason, there is still a chance that Garver could win the backup job out of spring training.

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And for what it’s worth, I love the move, as I outlined on the most recent ‘Refuse to Lose‘ podcast.

“When Mitch Garver was making $12 million a year for the last two years, I think the Mariners were pretty much obligated to find ways to get him in the lineup, to catch him, or to have him a designated hitter. At $2.25 million, the Mariners are not obligated to find games or find at-bats for Mitch Garver. They’re not obligated to justify what they’re spending on him. If he plays 80 games, he plays 80 games. If he plays 50 games, he plays 50 games. If he plays 40 games, he plays 40 games. But it’s, to me, a low-risk, solid reward move, and you don’t have to try to shoehorn Garver in just because of the money that he’s making. He knows the pitching staff, he has relationships with the pitching staff, he has relationships with coaches, with guys in the clubhouse, and he knows what it means be a Mariner. And believe it or not, I think that that matters.

We are at the point now, where the Seattle Mariners, I believe, have a culture established, where a clubhouse culture has been established….I believe now being a Mariner means something, and what it means to be a Mariner is established, and Mitch Garver knows it. And I think that that is important as well. His relationships, his knowledge of the pitching staff, his ability to work with the pitching staff…”

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Furthermore, Garver still provides power from behind the plate, which is something that most backup catchers don’t provide. He hit 24 homers in the last two seasons with Seattle, including nine last year. He also still hits well against left-handed pitching, posting an OPS of .718 against them last season.

–The Mariners will be back in action on Saturday (12:10 p.m. PT) against the San Francisco Giants. Emerson Hancock is on the mound.

–Luke Raley went 2-for-2 in the spring opener, and Dan Wilson called his performance one of his favorite things from Friday’s win over the Padres.

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–Cooper Criswell threw two scoreless innings on Friday, striking out both Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado. We spoke with Criswell and catcher Cal Raleigh here.

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