ESPN Insider Buster Olney Weighs in on Seattle Mariners Surprising Release of Mitch Haniger

The Seattle Mariners made the surprising decision to cut ties with veteran outfielder Mitch Haniger earlier this week, eating $15.5 million in the process.

Haniger, 34, hit just .208 last season with 12 homers and 44 RBI, but he has been an important fixture in Mariners history over the last decade.

Originally acquired before the 2017 season, Haniger earned an All-Star appearance in 2018 and then hit 39 homers in a superb 2021 campaign. He left in free agency after the 2022 season but was brought back in a trade with the San Francisco Giants before 2024.

The financial aspect of his release is the main reason it's surprising, but it's also surprising because the M's didn't technically have to make this decision. Seattle could have put Haniger on the injured list because of a shoulder issue that had kept him out the lineup since March 8, but they released him anyways.

Speaking on the "Refuse to Lose" podcast, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney had the following to say about the situation:

And ​I ​was ​surprised, ​based ​on ​the ​fact ​that ​teams ​will ​reflexively ​do ​the ​most ​conservative...make ​the ​most ​conservative ​decisions ​at ​the ​beginning ​of ​the ​year ​because ​they ​don't ​want ​to just ​dump ​a ​player ​who ​might ​have ​some ​value ​and ​give ​them ​away ​early ​in ​the ​year, ​versus ​hoarding ​resources, ​letting ​them ​play ​and ​seeing what ​happens. ​The ​fact ​that ​they ​released ​him ​at ​a ​time ​when ​they're ​looking ​for ​as ​much ​offense ​they ​possibly ​can ​glean, ​the ​fact ​that ​they ​released ​him ​tells ​you ​the ​Mariners ​don't ​believe ​that ​he's ​going ​to ​come ​back ​and ​be ​the ​Mitch ​Haniger ​of ​old.

You can listen to full episodes of the 'Refuse to Lose' podcast each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Olney joins us on every Thursday episode.