The Mariners have sent catcher Mike Zunino down to Triple-A on optional assignment, the club announced (h/t Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, on Twitter). He’ll be replaced on the active roster by Tuffy Gosewisch, who’ll pair with veteran Carlos Ruiz behind the dish.
It’s no doubt disappointing for both player and team that he’s heading back down. There was plenty of renewed optimism for him after a resurgent late-2016 run in which he slashed .207/.318/.470 and hit a dozen home runs in 192 plate appearances.
Of course, at that point the former third-overall draft pick was already returning from a demotion. His power numbers and abilities behind the dish haven’t been enough to make up for a big problem with strikeouts. Through 80 plate appearances in 2017, the power has also dissipated. Zunino has gone down on strikes in 37.5% of his plate appearances and is hitting just .167/.250/.236 on the year.
The 33-year-old Gosewisch was acquired over the winter in order to provide depth. His track record in the majors — .199/.237/.286 through 416 plate appearances — doesn’t give much reason to think he’ll provide a major offensive boost. But perhaps he’ll be able to put up somewhat more palatable numbers while Zunino again looks to iron things out at Triple-A.
The right decision, but they didn’t have a back up plan …
Yes they do, that’s why they acquired Ruiz.
And Ruiz is doing just as good as Zunino this season.
In 22 intermittent at bats. Perhaps you’ve heard the term “small sample size.” And even if he doesn’t hit, he works great with the pitching staff, so he adds value.
Zunino is arguably better behind the plate than Ruiz, so I wouldn’t say he adds value from Z
He has a better track record hitting. Why is that difficult to understand?
Zunino adds extra value. His name is more fun to say.
What else is new. This guy isn’t very good.
Ruiz at least has a history of being good which sadly Zunino lacks, how about giving Ruiz some regular at-bats before condemning him
.207/.318 is considered resurgent?? Well, when you’re Zunino, pretty much so
You seem to have left off Zunino’s .470 slugging and .787 OPS last season.
He’ll never hit for average, but if he could return to that level of production — significantly above-average overall with decent OBP (he had a strong walk rate) and very good power — he’d be a quality regular at his position.
I just texted my buddies the same question. How the f$
So much for me thinking Zunino was going to be a fantasy sleeper this year……
Zunino for d’Arnaud?
bad trade. sad!
Bad for the Mets.
Maybe for chase?
I’m very disappointed in Mike…he has had several chances to improve his bat, ans he keeps going back to the same routine….too many strikeouts. The fans and he know going up there is a 80% chance he is going to strikeout. Even I can hit the ball given all those chances. He takes the good pitches and swings at the bad ones. Sadly, the Mariners have no catchers in their system…zero. They should really look at getting a real starting catcher soon.. I still say they should have gone after Matt Weiters.
It’s a 37.5% chance he’s going to strike out.
I mean, the article literally states that. I don’t know where the 80% came from.
People don’t actually care about facts, they get in the way of their rants.
The mariners treat all their players like they should be treated if your not performing like a major leaguer send them down and make them earn there way up like Leonys Martin if the mets would do the same thing to their .100 hitters and bring up their prospects the triple a would have all these high priced millionaires trying to make it back to the show
And the Mariners haven’t won anything in how long? Ever, oh yeah.
Teams should never rush a catcher to the bigs. Expecting Zunino to immediately hit, all while learning/orchestrating the numerous, daily tasks of a big league catcher, is unfair – the Mariners have to know better.
It’s not that they rushed him. It’s that he can’t hit. Buster Posey spent less time in the minors, so their seems to be some holes in your theory. McCann, Weiters, LuCroy, Perez, are all examples of catchers who came up and held their own immediately. Why should teams expect less?
And when they took Zunino in the draft, who could they have taken?? The future MVP and brother of Kyle – Corey Seager. Imagine an infield with the 2 brothers patrolling the left side!!
Seager wasn’t a top 10 pick in that draft. Mike was the number 3 pick, I dont believe the M’s received much flak for making that pick either.
I know – so a lot of other teams passed too. I also believe the Ms felt they had their shortstop of the future in Miller and/or Marte.
Ruiz is the best catcher in this club, and what does Servais do? He leaves Ruiz on the bench and starts Gosewich, what a joke that is. Ruiz has hardly had any at bats, so how do you expect him to perform with the bat as a bit player playing every few days. Servais should be fired.
I know this comment thread is focused on Z but I have to agree with your point on dismissing Servais. The guy might be good at handling the media and the players behind the scenes but his bullpen management skills are horrendous. I understand it takes years to perfect the art of bullpen management but why should we have to suffer through his painful mistakes. This Dipoto FO is showing a ruthlessness in quickly sending struggling players either down or away- they should do the same with the skipper.