Mariners Can’t Sign Langston, Trade Him to Expos for 3 Pitchers

The Seattle Mariners traded left-hander Mark Langston to the Montreal Expos Thursday night for pitchers Randy Johnson, Brian Holman and Gene Harris.

Woody Woodward, Mariners’ director of baseball operations, said Langston rejected a three-year, $7.1-million deal earlier Thursday. “We looked at a lot of packages, but we had to get pitching,” Woodward said.

Langston, eligible to become a free agent at the end of the season, has been the subject of trade rumors since spring training. He wouldn’t say if he is interested in signing with Montreal.

“It’s a shock,” Langston said. “It always is when you’ve been with the same guys so long. The Met thing in spring training, I thought that was done. When that fell through I was distraught.”

The Mets reportedly offered infielder Howard Johnson and pitchers Dave West and Sid Fernandez at one point for Langston, but the Mariners pulled out at the last minute when the deal was rejected by owner George Argyros.

Langston was 74-67 in five-plus seasons with the Mariners. He is 4-5 this season with a 3.56 earned-run average.

Johnson is a 6-foot-10 left-hander who was 0-4 with a 6.67 ERA at Montreal. Holman was 1-2 in 10 starts with Montreal.