The Mitch Garver era in Seattle is over. The Mariners and the veteran catcher could have continued their partnership in 2026 for the price of $12 million, but it won't be happening. As reported by the MLB Players Association, he is headed to free agency after having his mutual option declined on Monday. He instead gets a $1 million buyout.
It's unclear whether it was Garver or the Mariners who said "no" to the mutual option, but we can take an educated guess that it was the latter. A $12 million salary is just a hair short of what they'll be paying Cal Raleigh in 2026, and Garver didn't do much in the last two years to prove he was the right guy to back up "Big Dumper.