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Mariners Exercise $7 Million Option on Closer Andrés Muñoz for 2026

The move underscores Seattle’s plan to keep its elite late‑inning arm under team‑friendly control through additional option years.

Overview

  • Seattle confirmed Tuesday it picked up Muñoz’s 2026 club option, securing the two‑time All‑Star as the team’s closer next season.
  • His deal includes an earned $1 million bonus based on 2025 games finished and preserves club options worth $8 million for 2027 and $10 million for 2028.
  • Muñoz delivered a 2025 line of 38 saves, a 1.73 ERA, 83 strikeouts and just two homers allowed in 62.1 innings while working almost exclusively in the ninth.
  • He threw 8.1 scoreless postseason innings, though he was bypassed in the ALCS Game 7 turning point when Eduard Bazardo yielded George Springer’s three‑run homer.
  • The right‑hander pairs a high‑90s fastball with a slider he deployed more than half the time in 2025, holding hitters to a .109 average off the pitch.