Mariners left-hander Drew Smyly has been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left arm and will miss the first six to eight weeks of the regular season, tweets Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. In his place, left-hander Ariel Miranda will step into the Seattle rotation and start the team’s fourth game of the year, Dutton adds.
Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times notes that Seattle doesn’t think surgery will ultimately be necessary for Smyly, but the left-hander will head out for second and third opinions on the injury from different doctors in order to be sure (Twitter links).
The loss is, obviously, a dreadful blow for the Mariners to suffer so close to Opening Day. Smyly was utterly dominant when pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and was expected to play a significant role in the Mariners’ rotation in 2017.
While he’s coming off a dismal 4.88 ERA in 175 1/3 innings with the Rays last season, Smyly averaged 8.6 strikeouts and just 2.5 walks per nine innings pitched in that time as well. He’s demonstrated improved strikeout and walk rates with Tampa Bay over the past two seasons and, as an extreme fly-ball pitcher moving to the spacious Safeco Field with what looks to be a terrific outfield defense, was viewed by many (myself included) as a potential breakout candidate this year.
With Smyly on the shelf, the Mariners’ rotation will consist of Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, James Paxton, Miranda and offseason acquisition Yovani Gallardo (who, like Smyly, is hoping for a rebound campaign in his new environs). Seattle picked up Miranda in the trade that sent Wade Miley to the Orioles last season, and Miranda enjoyed success down the stretch with the M’s (3.88 ERA in 58 innings — albeit with less-encourgaing peripheral stats). As such, they won’t be plugging a complete unknown into the starting five, but Miranda is nonetheless a step down in terms of what can be reasonably expected out of that rotation slot.
Miranda is hardly the only depth option the Mariners have, however. On the contrary, GM Jerry Dipoto made a point of adding a number of starters with big league experience to the 40-man roster this winter, picking up Dillon Overton, Rob Whalen and Chris Heston on the trade market. Should Miranda falter, or should another starter fall to an injury, any of that bunch could conceivably step into the Seattle rotation as well.
Just when everything was falling into place
He threw the fastest he ever has. Coincidence? I don’t think so
with second and third opinions maybe something will be noticed that wasn’t noticed before. I’m not being biased by this at any means.
This is what happens when you do fantasy drafts far to early. He’s like the 5th guy to go on the dl in like 2 weeks.
unplanned though. You can’t predict this.
I did mine the past few nights for that reason.
I’d like to thank the two guys who reached and “stole” Smyly from me. Good looking out.
F***
Dipoto is trade happy so I wonder if he works to get someone else. Do they have the prospects to get Quintana? If anything they can pick up Pelfry on a minor league deal.
We have 2 top prospects, O’Neil is around 35 and Lewis is around 25. After that we are really thin. So unless it O’Neil and Lewis with like 3 other top 10 prospects it won’t happen. And I can’t see how it makes sense to trade both of them.
Meh, they were not going to win the West anyways!
Pretty sure they’ll stick with what they have internally unless the second and third opinions say surgery, then all bets are off. No to Quintana. They might have some pieces to make it interesting but none they’d be willing to give up.
Quintana is available
I’m guessing he’s not, but is Teheran available? I don’t want to start up all the proposals again but I think he’d fit the M’s out of all the starting pitchers they could get.
“would take all teh farmz”
This is why the Mariners can’t have nice things.
They do, but I don’t know if they’d be willing to meet the asking price. O’neill and Lewis + maybe someone like Peterson?
Long time coming…rays might deal Odor for Lewis +
What do you want more of people??? The WBC or having your players healthy and ready for a regular MLB season???
Ya cause this definitely wouldn’t have happened if he were in spring training
Well I can’t really see someone getting so pumped up for a spring training game that they throw the hardest they ever have.
Drew Symly must be on the JD Drew health plan.
I was at the Reds/Ms game in Goodyear AZ last Sunday that Smyly started. He looked like he was short arming the ball. He was all arm no legs. Bad performance. Reds pitcher jacked a HR off him. I’m no expert, but didn’t anyone in the dugout see it? Left him in for 4-5 innings. Ouch.
uh……small sample size?