The Seattle Mariners announced Thursday night Hisashi Iwakuma re-signed to a one-year contract with vesting options for 2017 and 2018.
Iwakuma returns to Seattle after agreeing to a three-year, $45 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Dec. 6.
Iwakuma’s contract was never made official by the Dodgers, which according to reports on thursday morning was due to Iwakuma failing a physical.
Los Angeles was said to still have interest in signing the 34 year old, though to different terms than what was initially agreed upon.
Iwakuma spent the past four seasons with the Mariners, going 47-25 with a 3.17 ERA, 117 ERA+. 3.62 FIP and 1.06 WHIP.
He spent six weeks on the disabled list due to a strained lat muscle suffered April 25. On Aug. 12 Iwakuma threw the fifth no-hitter in Mariners franchise history.
The right-hander finished last season 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA, 3.74 FIP and 1.06 WHIP in 20 starts. Seattle extended the one-year qualifying offer to Iwakuma, which he declined.
As word of a failed physical began to spread, the Dodgers were said to have interest in Scott Kazmir and Mike Leake. Unlike with Iwakuma, signing Kazmir or Leake won’t require the Dodgers to forfeit their first-round pick in the 2016 draft.
