The Mariners announced Thursday that they’ve signed left-handed reliever Zac Rosscup to a one-year, Major League contract. The team’s 40-man roster is now up to a total of 38 players.
“When healthy, Zac has swing-and-miss stuff, which has translated at all levels,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said in a statement accompanying today’s announcement. “We look forward to seeing what he can do with good health and real opportunity.”
Rosscup, 30, has indeed demonstrated proficiency in missing bats throughout his career, averaging 11 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors and averaging 11.9 K/9 in 65 2/3 frames at the MLB level. He’s also posted a strong 14.2 percent swinging-strike rate in his MLB career, and though he’s totaled just 18 innings over the past two seasons, those 2017-18 campaigns have been particularly interesting. Rosscup has dramatically increased the usage of his slider in that time, resulting in an eye-catching 30-to-4 K/BB ratio in that time. He’s pushed his swinging-strike rate beyond the 18 percent threshold and his opponents’ chase rate past 37 percent in that small sample of work.
Of course, as Dipoto alluded to, the real question with Rosscup is one of health. Over the past four seasons he’s missed time due to blister issues, a calf injury and multiple instances of shoulder inflammation — one of which resulted in surgery that cost him the entire 2016 season. Rosscup managed just 21 1/3 innings between the minor leagues and the majors this past season and 49 total innings the year prior.
Clearly, there’s ample injury risk as pertains to the lefty, but his ability to generate whiffs is, at the same time, genuinely intriguing. He also still has just three years, 164 days of Major League service time, meaning if he manages to carve out a role in the Seattle bullpen, he can be controlled through the 2021 season via the arbitration process. The Mariners’ bullpen has been thinned out dramatically this winter following trades of Edwin Diaz, James Pazos, Alex Colome and Juan Nicasio as well as the outrighting of Erasmo Ramirez and Nick Vincent. Given that mass exodus of relievers orchestrated by Dipoto & Co., Rosscup should have a fairly straightforward opportunity to prove himself a capable relief option.
Who???
Zac Rosscup
BAHAHAHA
You must be lost
I once was lost, but now I’m found.
Reeses Peanut Butter Cup.
He was never anything special, but I always liked him as a Cub. I hope he stays healthy and cuts out a role on the Mariners.
he struck out the mariners on 9 pitches…nothing special, you say????
If I remember a Mariners team that was already behind 12-1 in that game. He also came in first game (11-1) and was 3ft from giving up a Cano HR at the 380 mark. If I recall he’s got pretty good separation on his FB and offspeed. Low 90’s and mid 80’s?
twitter.com/BR_MLB/status/1031337161033834496
Good for him. Unless im mistaken, it sounds like he will pitch left handed and right handed batters. Hope he can find more success cause he definitely has the swing and miss stuff even if it was mostly against lefties
What I find bizarre is that Rosscup did not walk a single right-handed batter in 2018. He faced more righties last year than lefties too, by a fairly wide margin. He actually has a higher obp allowed against lefties, but it’s not by much or even a stat of value, just interesting.
I agree. That is interesting. I didnt really look at his stats last year. Just with the rockies and i think him with left handers is just what he was known for before joing the Dodgers. Itll definitely be interesting to see what he does next year. Hope he stays healthy too
Ah yes exactly what a team who isn’t going to be in contention for 4 years should be doing: signing one-year, major league contracts.
Somebody has to play, you can’t just promote the entire AAA team and destroy their development. He’s also controllable through 2021 and Seattle is going to try to return to contention before 2023 dude.
You’re being sarcastic, but that is exactly what they should be doing. If he stays healthy and performs, great, he gets moved at the deadline. If he doesn’t, there’s no downside because they need 25 guys who can play and get them a top 5 draft pick.
Lots of room in that bullpen to find a spot. Good luck.
Breaking News: Mariners Trade Zac Rosscup
This kinda cheap upside lefty should be the ones the cardinals hoard.
I’m a sucker for immaculate innings, and an obscure guy throwing one is always pretty cool. Regardless this is decent hole plugging by Seattle. He’s not much more than a depth guy, but he ain’t bad.
Feel like the words “when heathy” may be attached to multiple Mariners signings this year…
So far this offseason the Seattle Mariners have signed only Dylan Moore, Ruben Alinez and Zac Rosscup (and claimed Kaleb Cowart and Brandon Brennan off waivers):
m.mariners.mlb.com/roster/transactions/2018/12
They’ll go ‘in house’ use a couple of the young RPs from their own farm system- such as Festa, Wyatt Mills- closer at AA Arkansas, they’ll give Rumbelow another chance and surely they’ll try to harness some of Gerson Bautista’s raw power
Trade-DHD acquiring yet another left-handed specialist with a high career walk rate. Marc Rzepczynski. Zach Duke. Now Zac Rosscup:
2013: 6.2 IP, 7 BB (+ 1 intentional)
2014: 13.1 IP, 12 BB (+1 intentional)
2015: 26.2 IP, 13 BB
2017: 7.2 IP, 0 BB
2018: 11.1 IP, 4 BB
That’s a 4.9 BB/9 IP ratio, folks, or over half a batter an inning.
He’s been better the last two years, but a lefty specialist shouldn’t be walking ANYBODY. Oh, and 19 of those career 36 walks were to left-handed batters. That doesn’t scream “specialist” to me… neither did Scrabble or Duke.
If Dipoto is trying to make a run for the basement, he’s doing a good job…
Sounds like a guy you “hope” fills a spot, but counting on him to do anything but hit the DL would be a mistake. Seattle should continue like this signing didn’t happen.
This was a great signing. Rosscup is going to be great weapon in the bullpen for Roberts. This move honestly could push Dodgers pasted the hump and win them a World Series