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Seattle Mariners Rumors: Jean Segura Contract In Place For Long-Term Extension To Stay In Seattle

By Ryan DeVault
Published on: 05:27 PST, Jun 7, 2017

Seattle Mariners rumors have had the team working hard on a Jean Segura contract extension that would keep the middle infielder playing at Safeco Field for many years to come. Locking up another key player on the roster could certainly help the long-term outlook for the team, especially if Segura can continue to hit as well as he has during his first season with the Mariners. A report by Jon Morosi at MLB Network confirmed that a five-year deal is now in place that will guarantee Segura receives at least $70 million over the next five seasons.

Following the 2017 MLB season where Segura will make $6.2 million for the Mariners, his new contract will go into place, covering his third arbitration season and first four free agent years. There is also an option worth $17 million for the 2023 MLB season built into the deal. This will presumably keep Segura as the starting shortstop for quite a while, guaranteeing that Robinson Cano will have a dependable player next to him on defense and at the top of the order for several more years.

This is a bold move by the Mariners, as it locks up another core piece of the roster. Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager are already in the midst of long-term contracts as well, proving that the front office is making every effort to put a competitive team on the field. This might also cool any Seattle Mariners trade rumors that had surfaced about the team looking to possibly have a “fire sale” this summer. Instead, it appears that general manager Jerry Dipoto and the ownership group is ready to pay for talent to remain on the field.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Jean Segura is on the disabled list dealing with a high ankle sprain. Despite the injury, the Seattle Mariners were working hard to get him to agree to a contract extension. His early success this season has already made Segura a favorite among Mariners fans, so this news has led to a lot of positive reactions on social media. While most of the Seattle Mariners rumors this season have dealt with stars getting injured and going on the disabled list, this bit of information has been a welcome change.

Through his first 43 games with the Mariners, Jean Segura has a 0.341 batting average that leads the American League. It’s an impressive way to follow up a 2016 season where he posted a 0.319 average for the Arizona Diamondbacks and led the National League in hits with 203. Segura also had 33 stolen bases, 20 home runs, 41 doubles, 64 RBIs, and 102 runs scored with the Diamondbacks.

At just 27-years-old, Segura has a lot of baseball left in front of him, but he is going to need to overcome the injury stigma that has already dogged him during his first season in Seattle. If he can bounce back quickly from this high ankle sprain and resume a spot at the top of the batting order, fans are surely going to forget about this stint on the disabled list.

Jerry Dipoto acquired Jean Segura, outfielder Mitch Haniger, and pitcher Zac Curtis in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks this past offseason. On paper, it was an expensive deal, as the Mariners had to give up shortstop Ketel Marte and starting pitcher Taijuan Walker. So far, the deal has heavily favored the Mariners, as Segura and Haniger have showcased a lot of offensive talent through the first two months of the regular season.

While the Seattle Mariners took care of an important piece of business, the team may still need to look into acquiring more starting pitcher before the July MLB trade deadline. Due to a recent hot streak, the Mariners are within two-and-a-half games of the second Wild Card spot in the American League, showing how close the team is to breaking its postseason curse. Fans should expect that the next round of Seattle Mariners rumors will deal with acquiring pieces rather than having a “fire sale” before the midseason deadline.

[Featured Image by Bob Levey/Getty Images]

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