Three years into an ill-fated, four-year contract, the Seattle Mariners designated infielder/outfielder Chone Figgins for assignment Tuesday.
While the Mariners officially have 10 days to trade Figgins, the reality is that they will release him and pay the $8 million left on his deal.
“It didn’t work out the way he thought it would work out or that we thought it would work out,” Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik told the Seattle Times after speaking with Figgins, 34. “But he understands that it’s time to turn the page and move forward. So, we wish him the very best and certainly hope that he’ll land with someone else and it works out better for him.”
Figgins signed a four-year, $36 million deal with Seattle prior to the 2009 season. Over his time in the Pacific Northwest, he’s gone from being disappointing to being horrible to being a non-entity.
Figgins was an All-Star with the Los Angeles Angels in 2009, and he came in 10th in American League MVP voting that year. Playing third base, Figgins hit .298, stole 42 bases and led the league with 101 walks.
His first year with the Mariners, Figgins was the regular second baseman, and he hit .259 with 42 steals while playing 161 games.
In 2011, Figgins moved to third base, and he batted .188 with 11 steals in 81 games. This year, he was a lightly used utility man, and he batted .181 with four steals in 66 games. After the All-Star break, he played in only 15 games, going 3-for-21 (.143) with no stolen bases.