The Mariners are evidently closing in on a veteran bullpen addition. Per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter), the Seattle club is expected to land recently released reliever Bryan Shaw. Contract details aren’t yet known.
Shaw, 32, was cut loose a few days ago by the Rockies, who’ll continue to owe him for the pro-rated portion of his $9MM salary along with a $2MM buyout in advance of the 2021 campaign. The Mariners would only be on the hook for the league-minimum rate if Shaw is able to crack the active roster.
After a long run of success with the Indians, Shaw struggled mightily over two seasons with the Rockies. It wasn’t just a matter of pitching at altitude, as he was actually better at Coors Field last year. Shaw dealt with a notable velocity drop-off and rise in the frequency of hard contact against him.
The M’s will undertake a bit of a reclamation effort, perhaps banking on the fact that Shaw still generates 80th percentile spin with his cut fastball. If he shows well at the team’s satellite location, there ought to be plenty of opportunity in a bullpen that’s short on sure things.
T-Mobile park is great for him
Good move by the Mariners.
Great pick up. Welcome to the team and a much more friendly ball park.
Having trouble deciding if this is Dipoto realizing he needs better bullpen options, or if this is just Trader Jerry realizing he doesn’t have many pieces worth trading anymore and is just hoping that Shaw will have enough bounceback in Seattle to make him a trade chip.
Both? I think it’s a solid move either way with basically no risk.
That is very true. I am just wondering how much of this is Trader Jerry getting an itch trigger finger and wanting more pieces to make more deals.
Can you remind me how many trades Dipoto has made since Opening Day 2019? I can tell you that it’s not nearly as many as you think. So I think the “diPoto only trades for the fun of it” can go away now. When he came to Seattle he had 4 big contracts who were aging with nothing built around them and the worst farm system in baseball by far. His only options were to throw more money at free agents, to try and unload Cruz, Felix and Seager to start a 5+ year Astros/Cubs style rebuild and be stuck with Cano who was coming off a down year by his standards. His last option, which he went with was to be creative and use the weak pieces in his farm and major league team to acquire enough players where hopefully a few would work out and support the aging core that he was given. Obviously, many of those trades backfired, but some worked out. But now that they’re in a dedicated rebuild, there’s no need for him to make as many trades.
Dipoto has made 14 trades since Opening Day 2019:
1) Traded RHP Jesus Ozoria to COL for C Tom Murphy.
2) Traded RHP Grant Anderson to TEX for RHP Connor Sadzeck.
3) Traded C David Freitas to MIL for RHP Sal Biasi.
4) Traded SS Ryne Ogren to BAL for RHP Mike Wright.
5) Traded RHP Anthony Swarzak to ATL for LHP Jesse Biddle and RHP Arodys Vizcaino.
6) Traded OF Jay Bruce to PHI for 3B Jake Scheiner.
7) Traded 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion to NYY for RHP Juan Then.
8) Traded cash to SD for RHP Matt Wisler.
9) Traded cash to MIN for RHP Matt Magill.
10) Traded IF Kristopher Negron to LAD for IF Daniel Castro.
11) Traded Mike Leake to AZ for IF Jose Caballero.
12) Traded RHP Hunter Strickland and LHP Roenis Elias to WAS for LHP Taylor Guilbeau, LHP Aaron Fletcher, and RHP Elvis Alvarado.
13) Traded international bonus pool money to NYY for LHP Nestor Cortes.
14) Traded C Omar Narvaez to MIL for RHP Adam Hill and a Competitive Balance round draft pick.
I would imagine that isn’t all that far off from most teams. Seven of those trades were DFA related. None look bad, so that’s good
Bawhahahahaha. Remember In Zack we trust??
So there you go, he’s made 14 trades over the past ~15 months. And only two over the past ~11 months. That’s not the crazy number that many people believe. Also, you could argue that the package they got for Narvaez was underwhelming, but the other 13 trades are either clear wins for Seattle or just fizzled into nothing.
I remember the Angels signing Pujols, CJ Wilson, Hamilton, taking on Upton’s contract, Zack Cozart, and now Anthony Rendon to make sure Mike Trout doesn’t make the playoffs.
There were a lot during the 2019 season, because he was unloading veterans that came from the Segura and Cano/Diaz trades in the offseason.
Took a few fliers on relievers that had been DFA’d as well (and one notable catcher). None of the outbound prospects were significant.
But to support your point, Dipoto made just two trades last offseason and only one of them involved an outgoing player (Narvaez).
He really isn’t “Trader Jerry” any more and probably won’t be very active until the 2023 offseason when a number of players are out of options with nowhere to go.
It’s not just trades. It’s waiver deals too. It seems like every other day JD is making some kind of deal. Do you can most likely double that total. So there you go times 2.
Pujols and Wilson were signed before Trout came up full time. Anymore snarky remarks ?
A waiver claim means number 40 on a team’s 40-man roster gets sacrificed to make room. There’s nowhere to go but up.
Serious question: Do you actually think Dipoto is doing a bad job for Seattle or that Eppler has been better for LA?
Dipoto came to Seattle with little payroll flexibility and a weak farm to use as currency to try to boost the team enough to sneak into the postseason. It didn’t work, but in just two offseasons and one regular season, he took their farm from dead-last to top-5 with a number of potential core pieces for the future. And they’re likely going to add to that pool with next year’s draft as they’re projected to finish 29th.
Eppler appears to be facing similar issues Jerry has faced. He (Eppler) has a ton of money tied up in a handful of players and a weak farm to try to use to buy help at the deadline if they’re contending.
I actually like Eppler, but he’s in a tough position. Dipoto still has to pull it all together, but nobody should complain over what he’s done for Seattle Since the 2019 offseason.
Stevil
I’d give a slight edge to Eppler. It was a personality clash in Anaheim between JD and Scioscia. I like to see Eppler stick around for a couple more years. I think he’s earned it. The farm as system is getting better. Albert’s contract will be gone after 2021. So that will free up some $$$.
Well, LA has been dependent on free agency for pitching and it hasn’t panned out so far. If Moreno is still dictating where money gets spent, it’s easy to see the cycle of mediocrity continuing.
Seattle is well-poised for the future. They have 6+ potential core players coming up and almost nothing on the books following the 2021 season.
I just hope Eppler doesn’t take the blame if things don’t work out. I’d love to see an ultra-competitive AL West.
Neither.
Jerry was looking for veteran relievers to help mentor the younger arms. He ended up with one, plus a rebound candidate.
Shaw helps fill the original order. I don’t think Seattle’s worried about flipping him. A 38-year-old reliever in a weird, shortened season isn’t going to net any kind of return, even if he really dominates.
They probably won’t be interested in a 38 year old reliever, but maybe they’ll be interested in the 32 year old Shaw.
That was a double-miss on my part. I meant Shaw, was thinking Hirano, and Hirano’s 36, not 38.
But the point stands for both players. Neither are going to net any kind of return. If Shaw’s good, his option can vest, and even if it doesn’t the buyout is 2m. Hard to imagine teams giving up anyone decent to take on that kind of potential dough for a reliever in a weird year.
Further, Seattle really doesn’t need any long-shot prospects. Their system is stuffed. They’d make room for elite prospects, but nobody they could feasibly trade (willingly) this season would net an elite return.
That doesn’t mean neither will be traded, I simply don’t think Jerry’s worried about moving either one. I think the intent was about having a veteran presence.
The post says Colorado will be on the hook for his buyout. If that’s true, the only thing Seattle would have to worry about is the option vesting.
Regardless, this made plenty of sense for Seattle. No real risk or expense and they get someone with significant MLB experience.
I agree with all of that, I could see him trying to acquire a similar arm to Fletcher or Guilabou as he did last year though.
I was wrong about the option vesting. That was toast when he was released. So, there really isn’t anything for Seattle to sweat.
Seattle has 20 relievers that are either on the 40 now and under control control through at least 2023, or potential/expected additions over the next couple of years. They could still add, but I would imagine Jerry would be more interested in catching and infielders.
Funny thing about Seattle’s pitching on the farm is that it could actually get better with the draft alone. Gilbert isn’t likely going to debut this year and the team is projected to finish second to last.
There are two players that jump out right now and both are pitching for Vanderbilt: Rocker and Leiter.
Seattle is learning how to hoard like Tampa.
That’s pretty much every rebuilding teams playbook. Trade away every player worth anything and when that’s done, bring on 4 or 5 relievers that have any kind of upside, hope one or two of them have a good first half and trade them too.
The player I felt was more likely to be flipped was Walker. He didn’t want an option year, nor a straight-forward multi-year deal. He was betting on himself to rebound and to presumably cash-in next offseason. With Gilbert so close, it wouldn’t have been surprising if Walker was just keeping the seat warm.
That’s all changed now, of course. Gilbert seems unlikely to debut this year.
good move
Thought the Indians would bring him back…
thank goodness they didn’t
Just someone Dipoto to trade at the Deadline
Probably more about the experience.
I always liked him when he pitched for Cleveland and he was under appreciated by fellow Cleveland fans. He pitched a lot, and I think the club felt he was worn out by the time he became a free agent. Then he was offered the big contract by the Rockies.
I agree with partyatnapolis that it’s best if Cleveland doesn’t bring him back.
The M’s are definatley trying to have a bunch of bounce-back guys in the pen. Maybe they’ll get a few nice trade pieces come Aug 31.