The Seattle Mariners could be a real contender for Masahiro Tanaka.
Teams are now able to negotiate with the Japanese right-hander.
Seattle outbid the New York Yankees to sign Robinson Cano, which has made them a threat this offseason.
"The Mariners are going to be a factor," one baseball official said. "They have a following in Japan. They enjoyed what they had when Ichiro (Suzuki) was on the team.
"They want the chance for moves like getting Cano to pay off. And they envision (Felix ) Hernandez paired with Tanaka at the top of the rotation."