SUNDAY: Seattle has announced the signing. LeBlanc’s deal is worth $650K, and he’ll have a chance at an additional $50K in incentives, Crasnick tweets.
SATURDAY: The Mariners have agreed to a major league contract with left-hander Wade LeBlanc, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. LeBlanc was released by the Yankees just yesterday. Terms of his new pact with Seattle are currently unknown.
It’s certainly a lucky break for LeBlanc, who settled for a minors deal with the Yankees in mid-January. Less than 24 hours after his release, he was able to secure a superior contract. As Crasnick notes, a season-ending injury likely created an opening for LeBlanc in Seattle, who actually comes with reverse platoon splits for his career. That makes him a viable matchup against right-handers in Phelps’ stead.
Across 68 innings with the Pirates last season, the southpaw posted a 4.50 ERA (though his xFIP places his true talent close that of a 4.00 ERA pitcher), with a respectable 3.18 K/BB ratio. He carried a 45.9% ground ball rate, which was a vast improvement upon his 36.7% lifetime mark.
This will be LeBlanc’s second bout with the Mariners, for whom he tossed 50 innings of 4.50 ERA ball back in 2016. He’s also pitched for the Padres, Angels, Astros, Marlins, Yankees and Pirates over the course of his ten year MLB career.
That was quick
And that makes his 30th different team in his professional career. That just goes to show even a horrible pitcher has a spot in the in the MLB, if he’s left handed.
It also goes to show that when the Mariners need pitching help they rummage through the bargain basement. Still disappointed we couldn’t go after Lance Lynn when he could have been acquired in a (modest) 1 year deal
he took that deal bc the twins might actually contend. Ms don’t have that appeal.
If both teams are healthy the Mariners are better than the Twins. And I’m not the only one saying this, a lot of baseball reporters and MLB Network people also say this.
daruba, you might want to take a look at the projections.
The Mariners likely passed on Lynn because of the draft pick attached. For a team trying to restock their farm, 1-year deals that cost a 3rd round pick make little sense.
I look at it though that the Twins may not be the most talented team in the wild card race this year, but they got the best path. They get to beat up on the Tigers, Royals and Sox for about 50ish games. One of the Yankees/Red Sox and Blue Jays are all going to be battling in the East and the M’s, Angels and maybe even A’s will be in the West.
How do you know he took that deal for that specific reason? Ms have a better lineup and BP than MN, and imo SP rotation just about equal. I believe he didn’t sign w us because our FO has determined we’ve already spent enough $ for this offseason.
Agreed
Indeed, Minnesota has an easier path. They had a lot of things go right last season, we’ll see if that continues.
It was reported Lynn only wanted to sign with playoff teams which apparently meant teams that actually made the playoffs last year. So, the M’s never had a shot at him. He took less years and money to sign with the Twins.
how many years has it been since the Ms were healthy? aka how long have pax/kuma been with us
As the article says, he was with Seattle two years ago. It also says he’s only been with 6 other teams, so not even close to 30
For his career he has a 4.40 ERA with a similar FIP and xFIP, making him a perfectly fine emergency back-of-rotation/swingman type to have around – hence teams keeping him around
Lastly, he has reverse splits so just being lefty has little to do with his sticking around in the game – being a serviceable swingman is the reason he’s stuck
Its almost like you know nothing about the guy and didn’t even bother reading the article, instead just wishing to give a snide remark regardless if it fits at all
bravo.
Learn to take a joke captain serious. Snide remarks are my specialty. So is dry humor and oh yeah, the ladies. You should try it sometime, it’s pretty fun.
So are unfunny posts.
So now you were merely joking when you incorrectly said he only gets jobs because he’s a Lefty, incorrectly said he is horrible and incorrectly acted like he wasnt a Mariner before and exaggerated the number of teams he’s played for?
I use snide remarks constantly myself, but what you gave was merely random nonsense with no rhyme or reason. Might as well have just said he has monkey feet and eats lightbulbs – then the “joke” excuse would at least hold up better, as right know you just look to be desperatly trying to excuse your initially having been uninformed and lazy
So I take it your not very successful in either category or you?
I think I heard your mom calling and go back home
Boo-hoo Hoo get over it
No way he’s pitched for 30 different teams! Maybe 6 or 7 at the most!
Hahahaha this is awesome
You have monkey feet and duck lips
Lol
Sadly, twss.
Good for him, the middle relievers are seemingly starting to catch the injury bug, let’s see who blinks first and ends up with Holland.
Seattle needs someone to start in place of Ramirez on the 11th(?), so it’s possible he’ll fill the hole in the bullpen and be used for a spot-start.
If you’re bent on going cheap, he makes a ton of sense. I’m curious if Seattle might find another reliever, or simply give a roster spot to Lawrence.
They’re just going to give it to Lawrence due to his great success this spring.
I think Lawrence is likely to be added, but more because of the changes that have led to good process…and results.
Granted, it was a Cubs team with only 2-3 players from their 25 man roster but Ariel Miranda looked really, really good on Saturday night. His FB was up at 94-95 and he looked to be in total control of his location. I’m sure you’ve watched Miranda enough to know he can be frustratingly inconsistent but I have to think Miranda’s recent outing won him the chance to pitch 4/11. He’ll prob go down to Tacoma to get fully stretched out before that start and WDB will go to long relief. It’s a pipe dream (Ms won’t spend the cash and we have an established closer,) but I wish we could fit Greg Holland in our BP
I called this like, 8 hours ago
LeBlanc had a couple of bad months with Piittsburgh last year and was out for personal reasons for a little over a month if I recall correctly.Otherwise,he actually did a good job the other three months.I think that he is a decent pitcher who may very well do fine in Seattle.
He has done well in Seattle before as a starting pitcher. I think he’ll be a starter for them.
He already bailed us out in a couple of spot starts in his last stint w the Ms. Interesting to see if he’ll gain some velo pitching in relief
Sometimes it’s a good thing having relationships with other clubs, he wasn’t unemployed for long.
Giants do nothing right. Lol