Jean Segura: “[Seattle] is Home For Me”
Jean Segura put pen to paper on a five-year contract extension with the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday afternoon at Safeco Field.
“We believe in Jean Segura as our leadoff hitter and our shortstop for the foreseeable future,” Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto said during a news conference shortly after putting the finishing touches on Segura’s extension. The contract covers the 2018–22 seasons with a club-option for 2023.
In his first season with the Mariners, the 27-year-old Segura has hit .341 (62x182) with 29 runs, 10 doubles, 4 home runs and 20 RBI in 43 games. Despite 2 stints on the disabled list, he leads the American League in batting average (.341) while ranking tied-for-5th in multi-hit games (20), 7th in on-base percentage (.391) and 9th in hits (62).
After being acquired by the Mariners from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 5-player trade last November, Segura is playing for his 3rd team in the last 3 seasons, but he finally feels at home.
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“It comes down to how I feel as a player, Segura said. “I’ve got some great guys behind me here, like Robbie (Canó), Nellie (Cruz), a lot of people here that take care of me, the coaching staff, front office, everybody. I feel like this is home for me.”
During recent offseasons, Robinson Canó has mentored his fellow countryman. Now, Segura joins Canó to anchor the Mariners middle infield for many years to come.
“Now I’m gonna spend a lot of time with the guy who’s helped me the last two years,” Segura said of Canó. “Anybody who knows Robbie, he’s helped me as a player, as a person…It was like angels came into my life. I appreciate what he’s been doing for me.”
Several of Segura’s teammates were in attendance at Wednesday’s news conference, including Canó, Nelson Cruz, Mike Zunino, Ben Gamel, Guillermo Heredia, Taylor Motter and Tyler Smith.
“It’s important that you guys here grow together and the core of this club stays together for a number of years,” Dipoto said. “We have talked repeatedly over the course of the last two years since I’ve been here about the core group that’s here and our belief that this isn’t a short window of opportunity to compete, and this is another example how of how we want to express that. We believe in this team. We believe in these players.”
“We trust the player. We trust his ability. We trust his work ethic.” — Jerry Dipoto on Jean Segura
