The Mariners announced Monday that they’ve designated right-hander Will Vest for assignment in order to open a spot on the roster for lefty Yusei Kikuchi, who has been reinstated from the Covid-related injured list.
Vest, the Mariners’ pick in December’s Rule 5 Draft, was selected out of the Tigers organization and had a nice run with the Mariners early in the season. The 26-year-old pitched to a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings in April, albeit with shakier K-BB numbers, and kept his ERA at a respectable 4.03 through the end of May.
Since the calendar flipped to June, however, it’s been increasingly tough for the Mariners to trust Vest. He’s tallied 12 2/3 frames in that time and surrendered 14 runs on 18 hits and eight walks with 11 strikeouts. Overall, he’s tossed 35 innings for the Mariners and been roughed up to the tune of a 6.17 earned run average with a 17.3 percent strikeout rate and an 11.5 percent walk rate.
Were the Mariners playing the way that many onlookers expected, it might be easier for them to continue dedicating a roster spot to Vest for the balance of the season. Doing so would’ve given the Mariners his long-term contractual rights. However, Seattle is five games over .500 and is only three and a half games out of a Wild Card spot. The seven-game gap they’re facing in the division is a bit tougher to surmount, but the Mariners are at least on the periphery of the postseason picture and will have a harder time finding opportunities for a pitcher who cannot be optioned and has looked increasingly overmatched.
Vest will now be placed on outright waivers and, if he clears, must be offered back to the Tigers organization. If a team does claim Vest, he’ll retain his Rule 5 status for the balance of the season.
Will his pension Vest?
Apparently not…
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In other news, my 401k Will Vest soon, too…
Heh I was gonna say that Will Vest isn’t a name, it’s something that might happen. But your guys stuff is more clever.
This place is becoming the Vild Vild Vest.
Sign held recently by former Mariners’ designate Kevin Mather outside T-Mobile Park. He’ll make copies, get coffee, really any assignment at all for the rest of his 401k match.
Yeah, a millionaire is out there begging…
The Mariners might still have plans for him, but no one has heard anything; they must be keeping things close to the Vest.
What about his cousin Will Sweater?
I’m sure Mr. Burns is excited to acquire a new player for the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant softball team and a new vest.
Go Vest, young man.
This one wins.
Is there an MLB team further Vest than Seattle in the US?
To answer my own question, he’d have to go to Oracle Park in SF (Lon.: 122.3893 deg W vs 122.333 deg W for T-Mobile Park).
I dunno about this man, Vest hasn’t been great but he’s probably more “fixable” than Montero is.
His agent made a fatal mistake in not including options. Won’t happen again in his next contract.
What Bry said……………..
Montero is Fernando Rodney experience, yet much worse
Not enough Xanax and Valium in stock for the Rafael Montero Experience.
I’ve been saying this for months. The only difference is Rodney would get out of it
The Vest is (not) the best.
White Sox can fix him.
Good first move if they intend to make a run for the playoffs this year. Next is to DFA Montero; he’s been horrible, especially in high leverage situations. Then they need a legit bat or two; Raleigh will hopefully give them some consistent offense out of the catcher’s spot, but they need for Kelenic to come back and produce, as well as fill the holes at 1B and 2B. Bauers and Moore/Long just aren’t cutting it and honestly don’t have a lot of long-term potential.
With the defense he’s been playing, Moore probably will keep playing. Hopefully the bat will get going.
Will will vests option vest?
Not a Vest pun, but the Angels can prob take him. I don’t know that he can be any worse than Junior Guerra.
Thats one thing the Angels dont need, another 6+ ERA pitcher…
there are a lot of pitchers worse than Guerra
Early on, he went with his blazer, but then his performance slacked off.
One has to wonder if he shares in the bigoted views of the previous Mariners front office personnel and is part of the fallout from that purge.
???
What?
And, yet, Vest is still better than Montero, but they’re holding on to him. I don’t understand their love affair with Montero. The guy is an absolute failure.
Rafael? Monterrible.
I’ve heard that St. Louis might be in on this pitcher, but that might just be a rumor. A case of the Cards kept close to the Vest.
Set up spot on this is the best one here
Good luck on the Orioles, Will. There’s already a spot waiting for you at Norfolk.
Fortunately, although Will has been DFAed,
His Major League Service Time
is
VESTed !!
And Montero is still around. How many games in a row will it take of him getting shelled before they finally get rid of him. He should’ve been gone months ago. At this point he should be doing nothing but mopping up blowouts where the M’s are behind. A 5 run lead isn’t even safe with this guy
Wasn’t he a rule 5 pick from Detroit? Doesn’t he have to be offered back to them? Maybe they rejected him when offered back
Nvm I see that now. Just woke up lol
The rules are different this year.
All six Tigers relievers stunk like shitt on Sunday—time to do some unloading. Can’t do any worse by bringing up all new guys—you already know what you have with these bums.
Now….had you only said that 12 months ago when it counted……