Seattle, Washington – The Seattle Mariners have signed outfielder Jason Bay, inking him to a one-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Bay, who attended Gonzaga University and currently resides in Washington, became an unrestricted free agent earlier this offseason after a mutual parting of the ways with the New York Mets following three unproductive and injury plagued seasons.
The Mets bought Bay out for $21 million, paying him the $16 million he was owed next season, $3 million for the buyout on 2014 option year and $2 million he had remaining on signing bonus.
A three-time All-Star, Bay signed a four-year, $65 million contract with a vesting option for a fifth season with the Mets back in January of 2010, coming off a career year in 2009 with the Boston Red Sox in which he hit .267 with 36 home runs and 119 RBI.
But Bay never clicked in any of his three seasons in Queens due to a number of injuries and batted .234 with 26 homers and 124 RBI over 288 games there.
Bay was limited to 70 games a year ago, hitting a paltry .165 with eight homers and 20 RBI. He missed time from April 24 to June 7 while on the disabled list thanks to a fractured rib.
For his career, the 34-year-old from British Columbia is a. 269 hitter with 211 homers, 234 doubles and 734 RBI over 1,210 games in 10 seasons for the Padres, Pirates, Red Sox and Mets.
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