Mitch Haniger Contract: Projecting the free agent outfielder's salary in 2023

Modified Dec 02, 2022 21:13 GMT

Division Series - Houston Astros v Seattle Mariners - Game Three — Mitch Haniger against the Astros in ALDS 2022

In order to avoid paying Mitch Haniger a $19.65 million contract for just the upcoming season, the Seattle Mariners decided against offering that contract. The prospect of paying the seasoned outfielder a smaller wage over a number of seasons was not, however, completely disregarded.

Jerry Dipoto, president of baseball operations for the Mariners, indicated that the team does not anticipate making another qualifying offer to Haniger before the deadline during a media briefing after the MLB general managers meetings in early November.

The qualifying offer was a one-year contract worth the average annual salary of MLB's top 125 earners from the previous year. It was valued at $19.25 million for the upcoming season, significantly more than Haniger's $7.75 million salary from the previous year and the $14.89 million he has made over the course of his six-year career.

Despite missing much of the 2022 season due to a high-ankle injury, Haniger had a tight bond with his teammates, and his success made it difficult to fathom playing elsewhere. Mitch Haniger acknowledged that he would love to be back in Seattle after the Astros' 18-inning loss ended their postseason journey.

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"Mitch Haniger's 100th HR as a Seattle Mariner" - Mariner_Konjac

Mitch Haniger is a prime target for the Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox will undoubtedly be interested during this time of year when baseball management goes shopping. Mitch Haniger is accustomed to playing in the IL, and 2022 was no different, as the righty made 57 appearances. Haniger managed a 26.3 SO% and hit 11 home runs.

Haniger had a breakthrough season in 2021—not a breakdown—when he hit 39 home runs and collected 100 RBIs. Based on his injury history, Haniger poses a huge risk, like climbing Mt. Everest. He had two healthy seasons in his career and put up numbers that were comparable to Hunter Renfroe.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, he would sign a three-year, $39 million contract. Haniger has produced 7.3 fWAR during the past two seasons, during which he has been healthy. That is a decent deal overall. It's improbable, but Haniger would accept a two-year contract with a higher AAV (2 years, $32 million) if he didn't like the early-offseason offers he received. That seems attainable at the age of 31.

Not to mention, moving from pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park to hitter-friendly Fenway Park might help, as Haniger’s 2021 spray chart (below) sure looks like it’d play well in Boston.

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"Here is his spray chart below" - SoxDingrs

About the author

Karan has been a baseball sports betting expert, analyst and content strategist at Sportskeeda since 2022. He holds a Master's degree in Sports Management from Virginia Commonwealth University, and worked with the VCU Rams baseball team as a trackman analyst. He started following the sport at 18, watching postseason on television.

Karan is a fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers owing to their successful history in the sport, and their consistent performances at the highest level. He admires Mookie Betts’ on-field defensive and offensive prowess, along with his off-field charitable exploits, while Bruce Bochy is his favorite coach.

The Mets’ miraculous rally from a two-run deficit in the 1986 World Series Game 6 in the bottom of the 10th inning despite being two outs and two strikes down is his all-time favorite baseball moment.

Karan’s strengths are player profiling and technical deep dives, for which he always refers to reliable sources such as the social media handles of the best MLB analysts.

When not strategizing, he likes to read, listen to music, go for a run, and watch sit-coms.

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Edited by Gaelin Leif