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Mariners Make Handful Of Roster Moves

By Connor Byrne | December 3, 2016 at 6:35pm CDT

In addition to confirming the signing of left-hander Marc Rzepczynski, the Mariners have inked right-hander Casey Fien to a major league contract, per a team announcement. To make room for those bullpen additions, Seattle has designated southpaw Dean Kiekhefer and righty Zach Lee for assignment.

[RELATED: Updated Mariners Roster]

Fien became eligible for free agency shortly after the Dodgers outrighted him off their 40-man roster in mid-September. In a combined 39 1/3 innings with them and the Twins last season, Fien recorded a 5.49 ERA, 8.01 K/9, 2.29 BB/9 and 33.9 percent ground-ball rate. Fien was much more successful at preventing runs over the previous four years, as he logged a 3.54 ERA, 7.93 K/9, 1.57 BB/9 and 33.6 grounder rate in 223 2/3 frames with the Twins from 2012-15. Home runs weren’t a serious problem then for Fien, but the 33-year-old allowed 13 this past season en route to a bloated ERA.

Fien has a minor league option remaining, but if he earns a place on the Mariners’ roster, he’ll make $1.1MM, according to Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune (Twitter link). He’ll vie to join a relief group that, at least for now, also includes righty setup men in the injured Steve Cishek, Nick Vincent, Evan Scribner, Dan Altavilla and Arquimedes Caminero.

Kiekhefer originally joined the Mariners less than a month ago as a waiver claim from the Cardinals. A 38th-round pick in the 2010 draft, Kiekhefer cracked the major leagues for the first time in 2016 and registered a 5.32 ERA, 5.73 K/9, 2.86 BB/9 and 47.3 percent ground-ball mark in 22 innings with St. Louis.

Lee, a former high-end prospect with the Dodgers, became a Mariner when they acquired him for infielder Chris Taylor last June. The 25-year-old Lee, who went in the first round of the 2010 draft, debuted in the big leagues with 4 2/3 frames as a member of the Dodgers in 2015. He spent last season at the Triple-A level and combined for 148 innings – 74 1/3 of which came with the Mariners’ affiliate in Tacoma. Lee struggled to a 7.39 ERA with the Rainiers, though his strikeout and walk rates per nine (6.05 and 2.91) weren’t nearly as ugly.

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Seattle Mariners Transactions Casey Fien Dean Kiekhefer Marc Rzepczynski Zach Lee

Rockies Interested In Mark Trumbo
Main
Minor MLB Transactions: 12/3/16
View Comments (21)
Post a Comment

21 Comments

  1. pickandersen

    9 years ago

    Good to see Fien getting a ok deal. Didn’t want to see him in the minors anywhere

    Reply
  2. Lefty_Orioles_Fan

    9 years ago

    I thought Zach Lee was supposed to be pretty good?

    Reply
    • woodhead1986

      9 years ago

      sounds like a direct quote from Dodgers FO lol

      Reply
      • Lefty_Orioles_Fan

        9 years ago

        Maybe, but I thought the Phillies wanted him awhile ago.
        Other than that I really don’t know him, except I recognize the name.

        Reply
        • unsaturatedmatz

          9 years ago

          I feel like him and Allen Webster have the same life story

          Reply
    • Doc Halladay

      9 years ago

      I remember being on another board and he was the “deal breaker” in proposed Roy Halladay trades several years back. I really thought he was going to be good but haven’t really followed up in recent years. Have injuries derailed him or is it just simply a prospect just not panning out(thus far)?

      Reply
    • davidcoonce74

      9 years ago

      Lee was given a big bonus out of high school to keep him out of college. He never developed. Remember when Dylan Bundy and Casey Kelly were going to be good? TINSTAAPP

      Reply
  3. skrockij89

    9 years ago

    More pointless moves from Dipoto. Gonna need to do more to beat the Astros and Rangers next year.

    Reply
    • myaccount

      9 years ago

      Someone has to point it out to you so I will: depth moves are not pointless.

      Say it with me: depth moves are not pointless
      Depth moves are not pointless.
      Depth moves are not pointless.
      Depth moves are not…

      Reply
      • skrockij89

        9 years ago

        11M for someone with a WHIP over 1.50 last year and career 3.80 ERA for a LOOGY pitcher. Pointless move.

        Reply
        • harmony55

          9 years ago

          Reliever Brett Cecil landed a four-year, $30.5 million contract coming off a season in which the 30-year-old lefthander posted an ERA of 3.93 and an fWAR of 0.4 in 36.2 innings.

          Reliever Marc Rzepczynski landed a two-year, $11 million contract coming off a season in which the 31-year-old lefthander posted an ERA of 2.64 and an fWAR of 0.4 in 47.2 innings.

          It’s the market.

          Reply
        • davidcoonce74

          9 years ago

          WAR and WHIP are lousy ways to evaluate relievers. Trevor Hoffman, in his career, compiled about as many WAR as Mike Trout has in the last two seasons.

          Reply
        • houkenflouken

          9 years ago

          His numbers against lefties are good and he has been very consistent over the years.

          Reply
  4. stubby66

    9 years ago

    Zach Lee would be smart to sign a minor league deal with the Pirates or follow Arrieta path with the Cubs

    Reply
    • drstevenhorn

      9 years ago

      Or he will go back to football.

      Reply
  5. Phillies2017

    9 years ago

    I hate the Fien move. Kiekhefer is $600k cheaper with options and can produce the same result.

    Reply
    • houkenflouken

      9 years ago

      Fien is right-handed, Kiekhefer was a below average lefty. We added 3 superior left-handers to our 40-man, so there was no need to keep him. He may even clear waivers

      Reply
  6. ck420

    9 years ago

    whats the difference between the mariners and a mosquito. the mosquito stops sucking

    Reply
    • houkenflouken

      9 years ago

      Go M’s 2017

      Reply
  7. halos101

    9 years ago

    billy eppler seems to love former high end prospects that haven’t lived up to their hype yet, so i wouldn’t be suprised if angels claimed lee

    Reply
    • Philliesfan4life

      9 years ago

      they prolly will

      Reply

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