Two Mariners among new Super 2 eligible players

Seattle Mariners right-handers Carlos Vargas and Cooper Criswell are among the players who have qualified for Super 2 eligibility heading into next season.

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This means Vargas and Criswell will now be arbitration eligible for the 2027 season rather than making the league-minimum salary.

Arbitration eligibility through the Super 2 rule is awarded to the top 22% of players by service time with at least two years and less than three of service. Players must also have accrued at least 86 days of service time in the season prior to becoming arbitration eligible. So in this case, at least 86 days of service time in 2026.

Players who are on the injured list – 10-day, 15-day or 60-day – like Vargas and Criswell were this season continue to accrue service time while on the IL.

The cutoff for Super 2 eligibility this year was 2 years, 133 days of service time, down from 2 years, 140 days in 2025. According to service-time figures FanGraphs had entering this season, Vargas is at 2 years, 140 days of service time and Criswell is at 2 years, 143 days after this past season.

With Vargas and Criswell included, the Mariners have 15 arbitration eligible players heading into 2027. Arbitration projections released by MLB Trade Rumors in October had Vargas slated to receive $800,000 and Criswell $900,000.

The current league-minimum salary is $780,000, though that could change with a new collective bargaining agreement. A recent proposal from MLB owners included a $1 million minimum salary for players with at least two years of service time like Vargas and Criswell. Any increase in minimum salary would likely drive up the price for arbitration eligible players.

The 26-year-old Vargas, who began this season on the IL with a right lat strain before returning Aug. 21, posted a 4.74 ERA, 3.94 FIP and 1.05 WHIP while striking out 17 batters and walking four over 19 innings in 16 relief appearances in 2026.

Criswell, who was acquired from Boston in a January trade, had a 3.32 ERA, 3.79 FIP and 1.40 WHIP while striking out 31 batters and walking 16 in 40 2/3 innings over 37 relief appearances. The 30-year-old spent nearly three months on the IL with a right shoulder strain before returning Aug. 31.

Information from The Associated Press was used for this report. 

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