Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto said Tuesday the team doesn't plan to extend Haniger a qualifying offer for 2023, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
The 31-year-old will hit free agency for the first time in his career, though Dipoto also expressed interest in bringing the outfielder back at a lower price than the $19.65 million qualifying offer. Haniger suffered a high-ankle sprain in April and was limited to 57 games in 2022. He was decent at the plate when healthy with a .246/.308/.429 slash line, 11 home runs and 34 RBI.
Haniger went 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored in Wednesday's 5-4 win over Detroit.
Haniger gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead with a solo homer off lefty starter Tyler Alexander with one out in the first inning. The outfielder smacked four homers over 24 at-bats during his final six games of the regular season. The 31-year-old played in 57 contests this year and had a .246/.308/.429 slash line with 11 home runs, 34 RBI and 31 runs scored.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Belts 10th homer Tuesday
Rotowire
Haniger went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk during an extra-inning win over the Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday.
Haniger hit his 10th homer of the season off Eduardo Rodriguez in the third inning, launching a 401-foot blast to center field that plated J.P. Crawford to snap a 1-1 tie. Haniger then sat in the nightcap, and he heads into Wednesday's regular-season finale hitting a red-hot .344 (11-for-32) with two doubles, three homers, nine RBI, three walks and six runs over his last eight games.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Riding pine Saturday
Rotowire
Haniger isn't starting Saturday against Oakland.
Haniger is one of several starters who will rest Saturday after the Mariners clinched a postseason berth Friday night. Sam Haggerty will take his place in right field and bat sixth.
Haniger went 2-for-5 with a pair of two-run home runs in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Rangers in extra innings.
Haniger accounted for the Mariners' first four runs, homering in the first and third innings. He's produced multiple hits in four of his last seven games, but the power show is encouraging after he went 25 contests without a homer. The right fielder is up to nine long balls, 31 RBI, 27 runs scored and a .239/.301/.405 slash line through 52 games this year.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Productive in defeat
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Haniger went 3-for-6 with a double, two runs, two RBI and a strikeout during Sunday's 13-12 loss to the Royals.
Haniger went 0-for-6 with three walks and four strikeouts over the first two games of the series in Kansas City, but he was much more productive during Sunday's high-scoring series finale. The 31-year-old's double in the top of the seventh inning was his first extra-base hit since Sept. 2, and he's now struck out in 21 consecutive games dating back to Aug. 28.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Busy night on basepaths Thursday
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Haniger went 2-for-5 with an RBI single, a double and two runs in a win over the Athletics on Thursday.
Haniger was a big part of the Mariners' fast start, plating Julio Rodriguez (back) with the first run of the game via a first-inning single and then subsequently coming around to score on Cal Raleigh's double. The veteran outfielder has shown some signs of life at the plate of late after a recent 0-for-17, seven-game slump, hitting safely in three of the past four contests.
Haniger went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs in a win over the Angels on Monday.
Haniger had just returned to the lineup Sunday after missing four games with lower-back tightness but had gone 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Monday's outing was therefore a lot more productive, and it snapped an 0-for-20 slump for Haniger that dated back to Sept. 7. The fact the veteran outfielder was able to play a full game in the outfield for the second consecutive day also seems to indicate his previously ailing back is back to full health.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Hitless in return
Rotowire
Haniger (back) went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Angels.
Haniger missed four games with lower-back tightness. His return to the lineup was a quiet one, and he's now gone 0-for-17 across his last five games. The slump has dropped him to a .228/.282/.389 slash line through 42 contests this year, and he's added seven home runs, 23 RBI, 19 runs scored and six doubles. He should still see regular playing time in right field and as the designated hitter going forward.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Checks back into lineup
Rotowire
Haniger (back) will start in right field and bat third in Sunday's game against the Angels.
Haniger is back in action to close out the weekend after he missed the Mariners' last four games on account of lower-back tightness. The Mariners' decision to deploy Haniger in the outfield rather than at designated hitter in his first game back seemingly implies that the team is confident in the 31-year-old's health moving forward.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Set to return Sunday
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Haniger (back) is expected to start Sunday against the Angels, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Haniger hasn't played since leaving last Sunday's contest against Atlanta with lower-back tightness, but his absence won't stretch on for much longer. He tested his back while swinging and running prior to Friday's game against the Angels and evidently felt fine, as he may even make an appearance as a pinch hitter Saturday.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Remains sidelined
Rotowire
Haniger (back) remains on the bench Saturday against the Angels.
Haniger left Sunday's game against Atlanta with tightness in his lower back and hasn't seen the field since. It's still not clear exactly when he'll return, though he was at least able to swing and run prior to Friday's series opener. Sam Haggerty will be the right fielder Saturday.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Out again Friday
Rotowire
Haniger (back) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Angels.
Haniger hasn't seen the field since Sunday due to a back issue, and his absence will continue in Friday's series opener despite the fact he was able to swing a bat and do some running in the outfield before the game, per the Associated Press. Jake Lamb is starting in right field while Carlos Santana serves as the designated hitter.
Haniger (back), who isn't in the lineup Tuesday versus the Padres, may not return to action until Friday's series opener against the Angels, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports.
The 31-year-old had the back issue crop up Sunday against Atlanta and is sitting out Tuesday's contest, and Seattle could hold him out again Wednesday. The Mariners had a scheduled day off Monday and have another one Thursday, so the two absences versus the Friars would provide four full days of rest for Haniger.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Held out Tuesday
Rotowire
Haniger (back) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Padres.
Haniger exited Sunday's contest with tightness in his lower back and will be out of the starting nine for at least one game. Jesse Winker and Sam Haggerty will start in the corner outfield spots while Carlos Santana serves as the designated hitter Tuesday.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Exits with low back tightness
Rotowire
Haniger was removed from Sunday's game against Atlanta in the bottom of the sixth inning due to low back tightness, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports.
Haniger was replaced by a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning after he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts to begin Sunday's matchup. It's not yet clear whether he'll be forced to miss additional time, but he'll have at least one day to rest since the Mariners have a scheduled day off ahead of Tuesday's series opener against San Diego.
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Mariners' Mitch Haniger: Rips pair of doubles Friday
Rotowire
Haniger went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI doubles in a win over the Guardians on Friday.
Haniger drove home Julio Rodriguez with both first- and third-inning doubles to help establish an early 3-0 lead for the Mariners. The veteran outfielder has opened September on quite an upswing, already forging a pair of two-hit efforts in his first two games and quickly lacing a trio of two-baggers in the process to push his season slash line to .261/.308/.463 across 143 plate appearances.
