MARCH 24, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
SEATTLE MARINERS 85-77 · 2ND IN AL WEST
85-77 · 2ND IN AL WEST
Flexen his muscles: Mariners starter Chris Flexen poised to build off big 2021 It became evident in Flexen's first season with the Mariners that he was not interested in trying to disguise his emotions on the mound.
Sights, sounds, phenoms and playoffs: Larry Stone's annual Mariners spring training observations The MLB lockout ended, plane tickets were obtained, and there was joy in Stoneville once again. Here are Larry Stone's annual spring-trainin...
MARCH 23, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Luis Torrens - Reaches deal with M's Torrens and the Mariners agreed Tuesday on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration.
Impact Seattle reached deals with both of the arbitration-eligible catchers on the 40-man roster, as Tom Murphy came to terms on a one-year, $1.575 million contract. Though Torrens is catcher-eligible in most fantasy leagues, his limitations as a defender mean that the Mariners are more likely to lean on Murphy and Cal Raleigh for work behind the plate. As a result, Torrens projects to see most of his work as a designated hitter or first baseman, though he likely won't enter the season with an everyday role at either spot.
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Drew Steckenrider - Under contract for 2022 Steckenrider and the Mariners agreed Tuesday on a one-year contract to avoid arbitration.
Impact All of Steckenrider, Diego Castillo and Paul Sewald came to terms on deals to avoid arbitration, leaving the three primary candidates for saves out of the Seattle bullpen on the books for 2022. Seattle plans to deploy a closer committee once again during the upcoming season, so Steckenrider's fantasy managers likely can't rely on him to pick up saves with any sort of consistency. That said, Steckenrider still proved to be a valuable fantasy option last season even while sharing the closer's role, as he notched 14 saves and grabbed five wins in addition to providing sterling ratios (2.00 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 21.7 K%).
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Diego Castillo - Gets '22 deal from Seattle Castillo and the Mariners agreed Tuesday on a one-year contract to avoid arbitration.
Impact All of Castillo, Drew Steckenrider and Paul Sewald came to terms on deals to avoid arbitration, leaving the three primary candidates for saves out of the Seattle bullpen on the books for 2022. While splitting time between Tampa Bay and Seattle last season, Castillo delivered a 2.78 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 75:17 K:BB in 58.1 innings while converting 16 of 22 save chances.
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Mariners agree to deal with veteran reliever Sergio Romo Sergio Romo, who turned 39 on March 4, pitched in 66 games for the Oakland A’s in 2021, posting a 1-1 record with three saves and a 4.67 ERA...
MARCH 23, 2022 • SEATTLETIMES.COM
Sergio Romo - Signs contract with Mariners Romo agreed Wednesday with the Mariners on a one-year, $2 million contract, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
Impact Romo will once again be a part of a major-league roster for the 15th consecutive season. The year-old spent the 2021 season with the Athletics, posting a 4.67 ERA and 1.25 WHIP while converting three saves in seven attempts and recording 12 holds over 61.2 innings. The veteran will look to get his numbers closer to his career averages of 3.10 ERA and 1.04 WHIP with the Mariners in 2022.
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Tom Murphy - Avoids arbitration with Seattle Murphy signed a one-year, $1.575 million contract with the Mariners on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Impact Murphy is in his second year of arbitration eligibility after splitting time behind the plate with Cal Raleigh and Luis Torrens last season. Murphy hit .202/.304/.350 with 11 home runs in 34 RBI in 97 games, and the Mariners are entering 2022 with the same group of catchers.
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Sal Romano is Seattle Mariners' fourth former Reds player added since March 14 Sal Romano is reunited with former Reds teammates Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suárez and Billy Hamilton in Seattle.
MARCH 23, 2022 • CINCINNATI.COM
Dylan Moore - Receiving $1.35 million in 2022 Moore agreed to a one-year, $1.35 million contract with the Mariners on Tuesday to avoid arbitration, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Impact Moore struggled with a .610 OPS in 126 games last season and will receive a modest bump in pay for his first year of arbitration eligibility. However, he did have 21 stolen bases and 12 homers in 377 plate appearances, though he may not see enough playing time in a utility role to warrant much fantasy consideration.
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Evan White - Returns to game action White made his Cactus League debut Tuesday against the Cubs after completing his recovery from season-ending hip flexor surgery, going 0-for-3 while starting at first base, Daniel...
Impact While White's two groundouts and a flyout won't exactly send fantasy managers' pulses racing, it was encouraging for the 25-year-old to simply get back into game action for the first time since May 13. White won a Gold Glove award in 2020 at first base, but given Ty France's emergence there last season, the Mariners are experimenting with the former in the outfield, primarily in left, this spring. Defensive versatility may be critical for White, as he's yet to prove he can hit consistently at the big-league level (career .165/.235/.308 slash line) and manager Scott Servais will clearly prioritize keeping France's bat in the lineup. "We all know what Evan can do defensively -- I put him up against anybody in the league," Servais said. "But in our game, the bat is huge. He continues to work with our hitting guys, and he's going to continue to need to make some adjustments offensively with his swing to get the consistency that he's looking for."
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Robbie Ray - Impressive in spring debut Ray tossed four innings in his Cactus League debut against the Cubs on Tuesday, allowing two earned runs on a hit and two walks. He struck out five.
Impact The prized offseason acquisition was originally slated for three frames, but thanks to his efficiency, he was able to work the extra inning and still log a relatively modest 57 pitches. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports Ray's fastball topped out at 95 mph and he frequently complemented it successfully with his trademark slider, allowing him to strike out five of the 16 hitters he faced. Manager Scott Servais has implied he won't begin thinking about his Opening Day starter until he's had a chance to see each starting pitcher once this spring, but he emphasized how impressed he was with Ray's initial performance.
MARCH 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Ray in Opening Day form in Mariners debut PEORIA, Ariz. -- Might the Mariners be alluding to their rotation plans for Opening Day with three more turns through before the regular sea...
MARCH 22, 2022 • MLB.COM
Mariners 5, Cubs 5
MARCH 22, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
As advertised: Robbie Ray delivers in first spring start for the Mariners "It felt really good to be on the mound, wearing a Mariners' jersey," Ray said Tuesday.
MARCH 22, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
J.P. Crawford - Settles for $4.85 million Crawford and the Mariners avoided arbitration Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year, $4.85 million contract, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Impact Crawford will more than double his salary in his second year of arbitration eligibility. While his profile is still driven by his defense, he's coming off a year in which he produced an above-average batting line for the first time, as his .273/.338/.376 triple slash was good for a 103 wRC+.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Paul Sewald - No need for arbitration Sewald and the Mariners avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.735 million deal Tuesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Impact Sewald broke out in his age-31 season last year, striking out 39.4 percent of opposing batters while posting a 3.06 ERA. Seattle's closer committee, a setup they intend to stick with this season, meant he only picked up 11 saves despite that dominance, which lessened the amount of money he would have received in arbitration.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Juan Then - Heads to Double-A Seattle optioned Then to Double-A Arkansas on Tuesday.
Impact As expected, Then won't be part of the Mariners' Opening Day roster, but he'll at least get a promotion to begin 2022 after he finished the 2021 season at High-A Everett. Over 14 starts with Everett spanning 54.1 innings, the 22-year-old right-hander submitted a 6.46 ERA and 1.61 WHIP while fanning 59 and walking 19.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Joey Gerber - Dispatched to minors The Mariners optioned Gerber (back) to Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.
Impact Gerber missed the entire 2021 campaign with a back issue that later required surgery in July. It's unclear where he stands in his recovery this spring, as he hadn't pitched in any of the Mariners' Cactus League games prior to getting demoted. Once healthy, Gerber will fill a bullpen role for Tacoma.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Matt Brash - Pushing for rotation spot Brash, who started Monday's Cactus League loss to the Diamondbacks and fired two scoreless innings, is gunning to secure the Mariners' final rotation spot, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com...
Impact Brash got a fleeting first taste of the big leagues late last season, getting a call up from Double-A Arkansas during the final week but never appearing in a game. Despite his time with the Travelers qualifying as his highest level of professional ball yet, Brash, who allowed just a hit and a walk to the eight batters he faced Monday and flashed a 97.7 mph fastball, believes he can successfully make the jump right from the start of the campaign. The 23-year-old has yet to post an ERA higher than 2.55 in any of his five minor-league stops and also possesses an elite slider and an improving changeup in his arsenal.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Jarred Kelenic - Scratched with illness Kelenic was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cubs due to illness, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.
Impact There's been no indication that Kelenic is dealing with COVID-19. At this point, there is little reason to believe his preparation for the upcoming season will be meaningfully affected.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Sal Romano - Joins M's on MiLB deal Romano agreed Tuesday with the Mariners on a minor-league contract, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.
Impact Romano will attend Seattle's big-league camp as a non-roster invitee, but he's more likely to begin the campaign at Triple-A Tacoma than with the big club. He made 19 relief appearances in the majors in 2021 between the Yankees, Brewers and Reds, compiling a 6.12 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 25 innings.
MARCH 22, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Playing with projections: Aristides Aquino, Dylan Moore and extrapolating THE BAT X to 600 plate appearances We all love THE BAT X, but what if we disagree with is play9ing time projections? John Laghezza brings everyone up to ful-time status!
MARCH 22, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Room to grow: Mariners prospects George Kirby, Matt Brash make spring debuts Kirby allowed six runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings with plenty of fuzz on his fastball Monday.
MARCH 22, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM
