On December 22, 2012, Ibañez agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with Seattle.
With the team struggling with a 48-50 win-loss record on July 21, following comments by manager Ned Yost that the team needed to improve its play, Ibañez led a players-only meeting, which players including Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain credited with turning around the attitudes of the players.