Seattle Mariners need to deal for the ACE-ing on their cake
Chris Phillips
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Seattle Mariners pitcher Marco Gonzales.
Marco the very good, not great
Marco Gonzales has been the Mariners opening day starter each of the last two years. Since he arrived in Seattle, Gonzales has improved as a pitcher. His ERA has gotten better each year, and last year his WHIP was a minuscule 0.95, with a career-best and American League-leading 9.1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. It’s starting to look like the M’s got the better end of the Gonzales-Tyler O’Neil trade with St. Louis.
As great as Gonzales has been, Mariners fans know the team needs a true ace on the staff. A starting pitcher that can go out there, every five days, throw seven or so strong innings while giving up two or fewer runs. That was what the Seattle Mariners had with “King” Felix Hernandez in his prime. Seattle does have help on the way.
Unfortunately, that help is currently in the minors. It’s possible, more likely probable, that he pitches for the M’s in 2021. That would be 2018 first-round draft pick Logan Gilbert. The 6-6, 225-pound, 23-year-old Stetson stud.
Gilbert was a beast in the minors. So far, he’s shown he can be an ace. But even when Gilbert arrives in the majors, Seattle can’t count on him to be vintage King Felix right away. He needs to develop his technique and learn the hitters. The earliest to expect Gilbert as a top of the rotation starter is 2022.
That will be perfect timing for the M’s and GM Jerry Dipoto’s plans for winning the World Series. As the great Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan. Until they get punched in the mouth.” No one’s literally getting punched in the mouth. Metaphorically though, the “punch in the mouth” may be prospect Gilbert not working out. As we all know, not all prospects work out as we think. What’s the backup plan?