Former Seattle Mariners Pitcher to Play in Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Seattle Mariners are still looking to make their first big move of the offseason despite having pressing needs at first, second and third base.
But a lot of former Mariners players have been finding their new homes for 2025 in recent weeks.
First baseman Carlos Santana returned to the Cleveland Guardians the week before Christmas. Just several days ago, outfielder Teoscar Hernandez opted to re-sign with the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, on a three-year deal.
And a former Seattle pitcher who's had three separate stints with the team has found his new home overseas.
Per a report from Francys Romero, left-handed pitcher Roenis Elias signed a one-year, $500,000 deal to play with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League. Elias has spent the last two seasons pitching in the Korean Baseball Organization with the SSG Landers.
Cuban LHP Roenis Elias (36) has signed a $500,000 deal with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), per sources.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) December 30, 2024
Elias previously played the last two seasons (2023, 2024) in the KBO with the SSG Landers.
Elias' MLB career spanned nine seasons from 2014-2022 and most of that was spent with the Mariners.
Elias pitched 51 games (49 starts) in his first two seasons in the majors with Seattle from 2014-15. In his rookie season, he made 29 starts and posted a 3.85 ERA with 143 strikeouts across 163.2 innings pitched.
Elias was traded to the Boston Red Sox and spent most of his two years there either on the injured list or in the minor leagues. He was traded back to the Mariners on April 23, 2018, and converted to a reliever. He spent a little over a year with Seattle in his second stay with the organization before being traded again, this time to the Washington Nationals, on July 13, 2019. In his first taste as a reliever with the Mariners, Elias made 67 appearances (four starts).
In 2018, Elias had a 2.65 ERA in 23 appearances with 37 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched. Before he was traded to Washington in 2019, he made 44 appearances and posted a 3.64 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 47 innings pitched.
🌬 𝘸 𝘩 𝘪 𝘧 𝘧 💨
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) March 14, 2019
🌬 𝘸 𝘩 𝘪 𝘧 𝘧 💨
🌬 𝘸 𝘩 𝘪 𝘧 𝘧 💨#MarinersST x Roenis Elías pic.twitter.com/SiEDTrqK3O
Elias elected free agency after spending all of 2020 in the Nationals' farm system and re-signed with Seattle. He spent most of the next two seasons in the minors. His last stint in the majors came in 2022. He made seven appearances that year and struck out six batters in 7.2 innings pitched.
At 36 years-old and going on three seasons overseas, Elias is likely nearing the end of his professional baseball career.
It's unfortunate that Elias' career was marred with injuries, but it featured a lot of good moments in the Pacific Northwest.
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