Mariners to get first baseman Casey Kotchman, sign Franklin Gutierrez to 4-year contract

The reshaping of the Mariners continues today as first baseman Casey Kotchman arrives in town for a physical ahead of a trade here from the Boston Red Sox.

In return for Kotchman, 26, a former first-round pick, the Mariners will send the Red Sox utility player Bill Hall, plus a low-tier minor-leaguer and cash. Kotchman is a former 13th overall draft pick of the Los Angeles Angels, but will join his fourth team in less than three years after delivering underwhelming offensive results the past two seasons.

A source close to Kotchman said Tuesday night the soon-to-be Mariner had a 7 a.m. flight to Seattle today from his home in the Tampa, Fla., area. Results of the afternoon physical likely won't be fully known until Thursday.

That's the same day free agent Adrian Beltre takes his physical with the Red Sox, and sources say that signing has to be finalized before Boston can trade Kotchman. The cash being sent Boston's way by the Mariners is also said to be above $1 million, meaning the commissioner's office will first have to sign off on it.

All of that means this trade will likely not be announced until late Thursday or early Friday.

Seattle is also on the verge of completing a four-year extension — worth a reported $20 million — with center fielder Franklin Gutierrez. Gutierrez's agent, Wil Polidor, said the deal, which buys out Gutierrez's three arbitration years and first season of free-agent eligibility, will include an option for a fifth year.

"Right now, we're working on it. Nothing's done yet," Polidor told The Seattle Times in a phone call from Venezuela. "We'll try to get this done in the next few hours, or the next couple of days, if possible. We're really close.

"This is very good for Franklin and the Mariners organization. He really loves Seattle. He's very happy. He loves the organization, how they treated him last year. He wants to be in Seattle."

Polidor added: "I'm really confident we'll get it done in a few hours, or the next couple of days."

Hall could not be reached for comment on the pending Kotchman deal, first reported by ESPN.com. The Mariners acquired Hall from the Milwaukee Brewers in August for minor-league pitcher Ruben Flores, hoping Hall could recapture his home-run power and provide versatility at several infield and outfield spots.

But Hall battled through a leg injury during most of his Seattle stint and was ineffective at the plate. He appeared to be getting squeezed out of playing time by the acquisition of infielder Chone Figgins and the trade for left fielder Milton Bradley.

The Mariners are on the hook for roughly $1.35 million in salary to Hall this year plus another $500,000 in a buyout of his contract for 2011. Boston looks to free salary to get under the luxury-tax threshold, and will have the Mariners pay a substantial part of Hall's money.

Seattle will also take on the cost of Kotchman, who earned roughly $2.9 million last season and should go closer to $4 million in arbitration.

Kotchman became redundant on a Red Sox club that will be loaded with corner infielders once the Beltre contract is finalized.

The onetime first-rounder posted a career-best .839 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) in 2007. Los Angeles traded him to Atlanta the following summer as part of the Mark Teixeira blockbuster, and Kotchman saw his OPS decline to .738 that year and .721 last season.

Kotchman does bring a high-caliber glove to the position, and his defense is expected to offset at least some of his lack of a power bat. But unless the Mariners truly expect Kotchman to return to the offensive highs experienced three years ago (.296, 11 HR, 68 RBI), this deal will only prompt speculation Seattle has more moves to make.

This will also fuel rumors the team is looking to fill first base temporarily and then make a midseason push to trade for San Diego Padres star Adrian Gonzalez.

Times staff reporter Larry Stone contributed to this report. Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker@seattletimes.com.

Read his daily blog at www.seattletimes.com/Mariners