The move was initially reported back in May but just became official on Sunday as the Mariners finalized their player pool for the upcoming 60-game 2020 season. Gonzalez signed a minor league contract with Seattle in February after batting just .200/.289/.283 with three homers and 10 RBI over 166 plate appearances between the Cubs and Indians in 2019. He is again a free agent.

This is not a surprise, as Gonzalez was a longshot to make the roster despite the Mariners lacking in quality outfield depth. The 34-year-old outfield was signed by Seattle to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, and hit .237 with a .659 OPS in the Cactus League before the COVID-19 shutdown. Gonzalez will be free to link on with another club, but it's unlikely there will be much interest. 

The 34-year-old isn't close to the five-tool star he was at his peak. He's recorded below-average batting lines in three straight seasons and failed to stick with either the Indians or Cubs last season, hitting a combined .200/.289/.283 in 45 games. In theory, the Mariners could give Gonzalez plenty of opportunities early in order to showcase him for a trade to a contender, but they could also elect to play their younger options instead.

Gonzalez was forced to settle for a one-year, $2 million deal with the Indians last winter after back-to-back down years with the Rockies limited his value on the open market. Unsurprisingly, Gonzalez's fortunes didn't improve with the move away from Coors Field, but his performance was much worse than most probably envisioned. Between his unsuccessful stints with the Tribe and the Cubs, Gonzalez slashed just .200/.289/.283 and struck out in 31.3 percent of his 166 plate appearances before he was released for the second time of the season last July. Gonzalez's track record should be enough for him to land a minor-league deal if he's willing to accept one, but his declining bat and lack of defensive value will make it an uphill battle for him to earn an Opening Day roster spot with any team.