Mariners News: Veteran signs a MiLB deal, surprise reunion, front office departure

The Seattle Mariners have yet to check off any big items on their offseason shopping list, but they can't seem to stop adding pitching depth with small, yet notable transactions.

Having already added Cole Wilcox in a trade and Ryan Loutos on a waiver claim, the Mariners struck again on Tuesday by signing Randy Dobnak to a minor league deal. The news was reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, who notes that the deal includes an invite to spring training:

The 30-year-old Dobnak was briefly in the spotlight in the late 2010s and early 2020s, when he arose as a swingman for the Minnesota Twins after going undrafted out of college. He even signed a contract extension in 2021 that guaranteed him $9.25 million — a heck of a lot more than he ever could have earned as an Uber driver.

Dobnak has only made 20 appearances in the majors since signing that contract, and those come with a ghastly 6.85 ERA. He went to the Detroit Tigers in a trade with Chris Paddack in July, where he actually turned a corner with a 3.79 ERA in nine appearances for Triple-A Toledo. Unsurprisingly, the Tigers still declined his $6 million option for 2026.

For the Mariners, Dobnak represents a low-risk depth piece who could potentially eat bulk innings out of their bullpen. His best pitches are a slider and changeup that had whiff rates in the 30 percent range in the minors this year.

Mariners News: A surprise reunion with Austin Nola, and a front office departure that could end up hurting

Also on Tuesday, the Mariners pulled off an unexpected reunion with former catcher Austin Nola, who will return to the organization as their bullpen coach. Bob Nightengale of USA Today had the news:

This would seem to mark the end of Nola's playing career, which tells a fascinating story. He was drafted not once, not twice, but three times, and he was part of the 2020 trade that brought Ty France and Andrés Muñoz to Seattle. Probably his best moment as a big leaguer came in the 2022 NLCS, when he knocked an RBI single off his brother, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star Aaron Nola.

Whereas they added to their coaching staff, the Mariners also lost a key member of their front office on Tuesday. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Andy McKay is leaving his post as assistant GM to become a field coordinator for the Cleveland Guardians.

McKay will reunite with two-time AL Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt, who had formerly worked as the Mariners' bullpen and quality control coach. It's a tough loss for Seattle, as Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports wrote on X that McKay had been a key part of the Mariners' draft strategy in recent years.

McKay himself is getting the on-field role that simply wasn't available to him in Seattle. To this end, the right thing to do is wish him well.