Seattle Mariners: Big Maple is LEAFing M’s Rotation, the fallout
A curveball
But this is where I’m going to throw something a bit different at you. At the end of the 2020 season, both Dunn and Margevicius were in the rotation. Heading into the offseason, they were expected to compete or re-earn their rotation spots against Logan Gilbert and George Kirby.
Then Dipoto signed Chris Flexen from Korea, which basically ended any chance of Gilbert or Kirby making the rotation. Flexen’s signing was followed by the Paxton signing. The Paxton signing changed the competition for the final spot to Dunn versus Margevicius for the final rotation spot.
More fallout
Now that Paxton is gone, the young guns may be up sooner than expected; someone will go back to the pen. That will once again pit Dunn and Margevicius for a spot in the rotation, this time against full MLB rosters.
My money is on Dunn going to the pen. He already has experience as a reliever, and if he can’t get his control in check, a move out of the rotation may be best. Dunn already has one start that wasn’t great. By the time the M’s get to Gilbert’s predicted call-up window, both Dunn and Margevicius will have one or two more starts. Giving Dunn a total of three and Margevicius two starts.