The Seattle Mariners announced Monday the signing of left-handed pitcher Marco Gonzales to a four-year contract extension with a club option for 2025. Gonzales is already under contract with the Mariners and will make $1 million in 2020.
Terms of Marco Gonzales’ extension with #Mariners, per source: Four years, $30M, starting in 2021, plus a club option for a fifth season. Buys out one year of free agency with possibility of buying out a second. Gonzales already under contract for 2020 at $1M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 3, 2020
The 27-year-old, who turns 28 on February 16th, will be getting quite a raise as he heads into his age-29 season in 2021. The four-year extension is worth $30 million and buys out Gonzales’ final three remaining years of arbitration, as well as his first year of free-agent eligibility and potentially the year after that. Should the club pick up Gonzales’ option, it has been reported that he could make up to $45 million over those five seasons.
After winning 89-games in 2018 but failing to make the postseason, the Mariners decided to take a step back and begin rebuilding, leading to a 68-94 record in 2019. They’ve continued to build around their mostly homegrown core of young players.
Gonzales, while still young himself, was the ace of the team’s rotation last season. Finishing the year tied for first in games started (34), fifth in wins (16) and sixth in quality starts. He stood alone finishing seventh in innings pitched (203.0) and 13th in the American League in ERA (3.99).
To show just how good those numbers were for Gonzales in 2019, he was one of just four AL pitchers to finish seventh or better in starts, quality starts, wins, and innings pitched. The other three? Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander, and Lance Lynn, so he was in some pretty good company.
However, Gonzales’ numbers and talent were not the only reasons Seattle decided to keep him around, despite being in the middle of a re-build. General manager Jerry Dipoto sees him as being a model and mentor to the young players coming up through the minors and into the big leagues with the team.
“Since joining the Mariners, Marco has been a model of consistency, quietly ranking among the most productive starting pitchers in the AL,” Dipoto said. “His presence, competitiveness, preparation and leadership make him a key part of our future.”
Gonzales and his wife, Monica, live in Seattle year-round and are very active in the local community working with numerous children’s charities and raising awareness for Multiple Systems Atrophy. They are also fans of the Seattle Seahawks and the city’s Major League Soccer team The Sounders, so he’s delighted to have the opportunity to stay with the Mariners long-term.
“This is truly an exciting day for me and my family,” Gonzales said in a statement. “We consider the city of Seattle our home, and to be welcomed by the Mariner organization and the fans with such open arms, and now this contract, is a dream come true.”
Gonzales was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals out of Gonzaga University in the first round (19th overall) of the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft. He battled injuries, including undergoing Tommy John surgery, early on in his career and was traded to the Mariners for outfielder Tyler O’Neill in July of 2017. Since joining the Mariners, Gonzales has gone 30-23 in 73 starts while posting a 4.12 ERA.
The extension will be officially announced and further discussed on Tuesday at 1 PM PT during a press conference that will be streamed live on Mariners.com.
