Seattle Mariners 2020 Review/2021 Preview – Relief Pitching
- Nick Margevicius, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher.
It was an exciting 2020 season for the Seattle Mariners. Pacific Northwest Sports continues our six-part series, which looks back on the season that just ended and previews the next season. Today we examine the M’s relief pitchers.
The 2020 Seattle Mariners season is officially in the books. It was certainly an up and down ride during this year’s 60-game sprint. But that should be expected from what turned out to be the youngest team in Major League Baseball.
Despite their youth and uneven play at times, the Mariners finished with a 27–33 record. That was good for third in the American League West Division. Seattle was just two games out of the expanded playoffs. The M’s were in the postseason hunt until the final week of the season. Their young team got just a taste of what it’s like to battle for the playoffs at the Major League level. A valuable experience that will serve them well in the future.
While there were more losses than wins in 2020, the team instilled hope for a better 2021.
PNWS takes a look back at the season that just ended and previews the next season. We continue our six-part series with the relievers.
Seattle’s relief staff underwent radical changes during the short season. Unfortunately, no matter who manager Scott Servais called in from the bullpen, they couldn’t pitch with much consistency. Relief pitching by far was the Achillies heel in 2020.
By the Numbers
The numbers back up just how bad Seattle Mariners relief pitching was in 2020.
- Losses – 13 (22nd)
- Home Runs Against – 40 (26th)
- Batting Average Against – .258 (26th)
- Strikeouts per 9 Innings – 8.29 (26th)
- ERA – 5.92 (28th)
- Home Runs Against per 9 Innings – 1.69 (29th)
- Strikeout to Walk Ratio – 1.63 (29th)
- Walks per 9 Innings – 5.08 (30th)
The Seattle Mariners are expected to go with six starters again next year though they expect to have a full year. This will mean they will have seven relievers but could start the season with eight depending on how many bench players they plan to go with.