The Seattle Mariners will continue their relationship with pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma, signing the right-hander to a minor league contract on Monday with an invitation to spring training.
Iwakuma, who had surgery on his shoulder in September, has spent his entire six-year career with the Mariners after moving to MLB from Japan’s Pacific League. The Mariners exercised a $1 million buyout earlier this offseason.
The 36-year-old Iwakuma had debridement surgery on Sept. 29 by by Dr. Keith Meister. The procedure removes dead, damaged, or infected tissue in an effort to improve the healing of healthy tissue. He is expected to resume throwing in about three months.