Seattle Mariners' Attempt To Overhaul Bullpen Backfires

The Seattle Mariners had major issues with their bullpen last season, one year after boasting one of the best in MLB. When Jerry Dipoto was brought in as the Mariners’ new GM, it was known that he was going to bolster the bullpen. Of the staple players who were part of the 2015 bullpen, only two of them (Vidal Nuno and Charlie Furbush) are still part of the Mariners.

Dipoto did bring in talent though, signing Steve Cishek, Justin De Fratus and Ryan Cook, while trading for Joaquin Benoit and Evan Scribner to go along with Nuno and Furbush. Having that group as the bullpen would be considered an upgrade from last year. To start spring training, those seven seemed to make it near impossible for a player like Tony Zych or Mike Montgomery to crack the bullpen, but things have changed.

Injuries have already ravished the Mariners’ bullpen, creating many questions, as well as opportunities, for the roster. Cook was recently put on the 60-day disabled list with a strained back muscle. Scribner has a strained back as well, and while not seen as serious as Cook’s, he is slated to start the season on the DL.

Cishek has been held out of spring training games for over a week with bicep tenderness. Although he is expected to be healthy by the start of the season, the injury is still a worry. Luckily for the Mariners, they always have Benoit to fill in at the closer role if Cishek is not ready to start the season.

The biggest wrinkle in the Mariners’ bullpen plans is the recent injury of Furbush, who was out the last three months of the 2015 season with a rotator cuff tear. Furbush has said that the pain is not in the same spot as the injury from last year, feeling it more in his bicep recently. Even so, losing Furbush even for a small period of time would not bode well for the Mariners. Furbush and Nuno are the only left-handed relievers the Mariners have.

This has created an interesting opportunity for Montgomery, a left-handed starter without any options left. James Paxton and Nathan Karns are clearly fighting for the last spot in the rotation, making Montgomery’s only avenue to stick with the big club being the bullpen. The long-term injuries to right-handers Cook and Scribner give opportunities to players, such as Zych, who are on the verge of MLB careers.

Benoit, De Fratus and Nuno are the only pitchers slated for the bullpen to begin spring training who are not dealing with injuries. No matter how much planning was done in the offseason, I don’t think there is a team in baseball that could easily replace four pitchers in their bullpen. That being said, it seems Dipoto and Co. might want to take a longer look at future players before trading or signing them.