Matt Magill, Seattle Mariners.
In general, the Seattle Mariners bullpen was absolutely awful in 2020. Not only were they bad, but every time manager Scott Servais brought in a relief pitcher, it was like a dark cloud enveloped the field. A sigh of despair from M’s fans everywhere was palpable.
Aside from Yohan Ramirez (2.61) and Kendall Graveman (3.60), no M’s reliever with 8.0 innings pitched or more in relief had an ERA under 4.02. Injuries had much to do with the bullpen’s failures. The M’s had to make do with a relief staff primarily made up of young pitchers getting their first chance in the Majors and other team’s cast-offs. The results weren’t pretty.
Between the end of the season (October 27) and leading up to the start of free agency (November 3), the Seattle Mariners made some personnel moves and shuffled the mix.
This past season was like none other in baseball history. Now the expanded rosters and non-roster invitees at Tacoma make getting an offseason 40-man roster very challenging. Those on the injured list must be added back in, so that means there has to be room for them. Consequently, some players had to go. Several players had to clear waivers for the Mariners to put them back in their minor league system. Two of them got claimed by other teams. Art Warren is now with Texas, and Arizona snapped up lefty Taylor Guilbeau.
Major league teams can never have enough left-handed relief pitching, so losing Guilbeau hurts a little bit. Although his season was cut short by a shoulder injury, a 1.17 ERA over eight outings seemed to be his ticket to a shot at the roster in 2021.
Last week, the M’s activated Matt Magill, Carl Edwards Jr., and Nestor Cortes Jr. from their injured list and sent the relievers outright to AAA. The trio refused assignment and, as mandated by the MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement, are free agents.
It’s a big fall for Magill and Edwards. They were supposed to be a big part of the relief staff last year. Magill finished 2019 as the team’s closer. Many expected him to reclaim the role for 2020. It wasn’t in the cards for him. He lost the job to Taylor Williams in summer camp.
From July 26 to August 15, The 30-year-old made eight appearances giving up two hits, four walks, and no earned runs in eight innings pitched. Then the roof collapsed. He gave up seven earned runs in his next three appearances. The M’s placed Magill on the injured list with a shoulder strain on August 30, and he underwent surgery in mid-September to repair the damage.
Edwards was a bit of a risk coming off a shaky 2019 when the Mariners signed him last winter. He pitched well, yielding just one run in five appearances. Unfortunately, his season ended August 7 with a right forearm injury.
Bryan Shaw, Jimmy Yacabonis, and Brady Lail, part of the cast-off crew, also declined assignment and became free agents. No one in the Emerald City will miss them.
A few days before the season ended, Seattle claimed Ian Hamilton off waivers from the White Sox. A hard thrower, Hamilton could be an ideal setup man if he can harness the heater. In 12 innings pitched at the Major League level, Hamilton has a 4.50 ERA with nine strikeouts and seven walks. Before Chicago drafted him in 2016, Hamilton was a standout at Washington State.
Last Friday, the M’s claimed 29-year-old Domingo Tapia off waivers from Boston. He made his MLB debut on September 11 and finished the season in Beantown. Tapia pitched in five games, ending up with a 2.08 ERA over 4.1 innings.
At this point, the Seattle Mariners filled 32 of their 40 roster spots. Mitch Haniger, Tom Murphy, and Andres Munoz still have to be activated from the injured list. Munoz hit triple digits on the radar gun in 2019 before he blew out his elbow. The reliever underwent Tommy John surgery in March. After some tune-up work in the minors, he could be in Seattle’s bullpen by mid-2021.
There are five more players in the system Seattle must protect on the 40-man roster. If not, the Mariners expose them to the Rule 5 draft. Outfielder Taylor Trammell headlines the list, which also includes relievers Sam Delaplane and Wyatt Mills, starter Juan Then, and third baseman Joe Rizzo. At the least, Seattle protects three of them. So, somewhere between 38 to 40 roster slots will be filled.
The free agent signing period begins in a few days. Mariners GM Jerry DiPoto knows he has to pick up some quality pitching for next season. It won’t be a surprise to see relievers Walker Lockett, Casey Sadler, and/or Brandon Brennan on the waiver wire in the next few months to make room for a few more additions.
What do you think about the Seattle Mariners bullpen overhaul? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.