Mariners add all-star Gordon, close in on Ohtani

SEATTLE — Landing Dee Gordon via trade is an immediate upgrade for the Seattle Mariners.

But getting Gordon might ultimately help the Mariners land the most coveted prize of the off-season: Shohei Ohtani.

Seattle pulled off one of the biggest moves of the off-season to date by acquiring Gordon from the Miami Marlins for three minor leaguers on Thursday. While the addition of Gordon is a major boost for Seattle, the other item that came from the Marlins could prove more important.

The Mariners also received $1 million US in international bonus pool allocation. Seattle now has the most available money in the bonus pool of any major league team, inching ahead of the Texas Rangers by $22,500. Seattle has $3,557,500 available to the Rangers’ $3,535,000.

“It’s nice to have,” Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto said.

Dipoto hasn’t been shy in saying Ohtani is Seattle’s top offseason priority, and the Mariners have made aggressive moves in the past two days to help bolster their chances to sign the star Japanese pitcher and outfielder. They traded a minor leaguer to Minnesota for $1 million in additional bonus allocation on Wednesday.

The AL West is taking notice of Dipoto’s efforts.

“I just don’t want him to end up in my division,” Oakland Athletics general manager David Forst said Thursday. “We’re keeping an eye on it. We were involved in it for a couple days until we were told we weren’t. We’re kind of just watching it with curiosity.”

It just so happened that the money from Miami also came with Seattle’s presumptive new centre fielder.

“He’s a terrific athlete and I don’t think the transition to centre field will be a terribly difficult one for him,” Dipoto said. “He’s up for the challenge and actually doesn’t live too far from Ken Griffey Jr., so I think he’s already planning on reaching out for a little assistance.”

For his part, Gordon said he was “shocked” to learn of the trade and the Mariners desire to move him from second base to centre field. Gordon’s agent, Nate Heisler, released a statement saying the Mariners did not receive Gordon’s approval for the position switch prior to the trade being finalized.

Gordon said he’ll accept the position switch, but maybe not with the most enthusiasm.

“I had honestly never heard of a situation where a guy who was a Gold Glove-calibre player at his position turning over to a new positon,” Gordon said. “I was definitely shocked, but at the end of the day I’m a team player and if that’s what I have to do for the Seattle Mariners, if that’s what is best for them, then that’s what I’ve got to do.”

Seattle is adding significant speed and a knack for getting on base to its batting order. Gordon has led the National League in stolen bases three of the past four seasons and led the NL in batting in 2015.

He served an 80-game suspension in 2016 after a positive test for exogenous testosterone and Clostebol, substances he said he took unknowingly. Gordon hit .308 with a .341 on-base percentage last season, when he scored 114 runs and topped the major leagues with 60 stolen bases.

Gordon’s contract calls for salaries of $10.5 million US, $13 million and $13.5 million in the next three seasons.