Mariners open to fielding offers on Encarnacion

Edwin Encarnacion hasn't played a game for the Seattle Mariners yet, and there's a possibility he never does.

While the team isn't actively pursuing a trade for the 35-year-old first baseman, Mariners assistant general manager Justin Hollander said the team is open to considering offers, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Encarnacion was acquired from the Cleveland Indians earlier in December in a three-team trade that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays. He has one year worth $21.7 million plus a $20-million club option for 2020 remaining on his contract.

The three-time All-Star has spent the last two seasons in Cleveland after playing with the Toronto Blue Jays for parts of eight campaigns. Encarnacion's coming off a bit of a down year where he slashed .246/.336/.474 with 32 home runs in 137 games.

The Rays and Colorado Rockies both expressed interest in the veteran infielder before he was traded to the Mariners.

The Mariners have cleaned house this offseason after trading away Edwin Diaz, Robinson Cano, Jean Segura, Mike Zunino, and James Paxton. If the Mariners did deal Encarnacion, he'd be the second player they acquired and then traded this winter after shipping Carlos Santana to Cleveland in the recent three-team deal.