Former first overall draft pick Justin Upton has had an amazing career.
He was a feared slugger in his prime, and few hitters can say they hit 325 home runs, scored 1,058 runs, drove in 1,003, and stole 151 bases.
However, it looks like his days as a reliable contributor for an MLB team are over.
According to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, he is no longer a part of the Seattle Mariners organization.
“Kyle Lewis has been activated from the concussion injured list, and in a corresponding move, Justin Upton has been optioned and elects free agency,” he tweeted.
Kyle Lewis has been activated from the concussion injured list, and in a corresponding move, Justin Upton has been optioned and elects free agency.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) July 22, 2022
After being released on April 2 by the Los Angeles Angels, Upton signed with the Mariners as outfield/designated hitter depth.
His stint with the M’s, however, was not good.
He Wasn’t Good For The Mariners In 2022
In 17 games and 48 plate appearances, he only had six hits.
He hit a single home run and slashed a putrid .125/.263/.208 with a horrid .471 OPS.
The soon-to-be 35-year-old former thumper will try to find another organization to finish out the year, but it’s unlikely a team offers him an MLB deal.
As the Mariners got healthier, it was evident that they would let Upton go if he didn’t produce.
That ended up being the case.
If he finds another opportunity with an MLB franchise, Upton will offer some depth and experience.
If, to the contrary, this is it for him, he can go out knowing that he had a very nice career that took him to All-Star Games and earned him several accolades.
During his prime, he was a powerful hitter capable of bopping 30 homers and driving in 100 runs per season.
We hope he can continue his playing career if he so desires.
