The Mariners have signed left-handed pitcher Ryan Buchter to a minor league deal, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. The southpaw has been invited to big league camp.
Buchter, 35, has 285 MLB games under his belt, having taken the mound for the Braves, Padres, Royals, Athletics, Angels and Diamondbacks. At the end of the 2019 season, he had a career ERA of 2.86, but was somewhat surprisingly non-tendered by the A’s. Although he kept his ERA to 2.98 that year, his walk rate climbed up to 11.6% and he also had an unsustainable 91.4% strand rate, evidently concerning the club enough that they cut ties.
He made the Angels’ roster in 2020 but was optioned to the team’s alternate training site. Due to the pandemic wiping out the minor league season, he was only able to pitch six innings on the year. In 2021, he bounced on and off the D-Backs roster, throwing 16 1/3 fairly ineffective innings in the majors. His ERA was 6.61, along with a 20.5% strikeout rate and alarming 16.7% walk rate. He was much better in 16 Triple-A innings last year, however, logging an ERA of 3.38 with a 29% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate.
The Mariners are a bit thin on lefties, with Anthony Misiewicz and Justus Sheffield the only two on the 40-man roster that are projected to be both healthy and in the bullpen to start the year. With Buchter around, they’ll have a veteran fallback option. Despite his age, he has less than five years of MLB service time, meaning he could be retained for another year if he can regain his pre-2020 form and earn a roster spot.
Dude has bounced around alot. Resulting in drinking and mental issues. If he is past that, could be a nice addition Seattle has been looking for from the left side.
Wish all the best for Mr. Butcher.
And a huge bababooey to him
So this is one of the big time FA Mariners fans were saying they were going to sign?
I guess you didn’t hear about Robbie Ray.
Mariners fans were on here saying that they were going to sign 3 or 4 of the top FA. Yes they got one. But far less than fans were saying they were going to get. But it’s going to be fun, to see who finishes in second and third between the Angels and Mariners
They were able to get Frazier, Winker and Suarez for the price of Bryant or Story. More than 1 way to build a good roster. It’s all good to want those players but when non competitive teams take the price to ridiculous, smart GM’S improvise. Good decision!
They got better. That’s what matters. Seattle still has work to do, though, especially on the pitching side.
Frazier, Winker, and Suarez are a fraction of the price it took to land Bryant and Story.
But Seattle still needs help.
Suarez had a .717 ops playing in a band box. Most Reds players struggle more once they leave Cincinnati than Rockies players than when they leave Colorado. So we will have to see, how he does. The biggest question with the Mariners, will they be able to score enough runs.
Have to ask Kelenic, Raleigh and Rodriguez that question. Alot rides on there development. The rest of the lineup I have no worries about.
Please have empathy for any Angel fan for life.
Since the Seattle Mariners last made the postseason in 2001, the Angels have earned a postseason berth seven times, winning a World Series in 2002.
Nevertheless, since the 2001 season the Mariners have a better cumulative regular-season record than the Angels. Seattle simply has been unable to bunch together enough wins in a single season to advance to the postseason.
The Angels now find themselves mired in MLB’s longest current streak of consecutive losing seasons. Not the Pirates. Not the Orioles. The Angels.
Time to trade old offense(Haniger) for front line pitching, and let the young offense(Kelenic/Julio) tale over.
Decent pickup, but the M’s still need to sign a quality starting pitcher. I wish Kodai Senga were available.
He signed a 5-year extension with the Hawks, but has an opt-out after this season. I don’t know if he fits Seattle’s needs as he hasn’t thrown many innings the last couple of years, but he’s definitely interesting.
Sheffield is being stretched out to start. He probably heads to Tacoma following spring as he has options. Seattle’s starter depth took a hit in the deal with Cincinnati, so it’s just him, Marge, and prospects such as Kirby and Stoudt at the moment. They still need a number 5 starter as well.
Seattle lost Casey Sadler to a shoulder issue and he’s expected to miss significant time, so this won’t likely be the last reliever Seattle adds to their mix this spring.
Brash or Kirby will be given a shot at the 5th spot before Sheffield or Marge. Stoudt is going to get to develop behind those 4. Maybe Elias gets healthy before too long and joins the mix.
Brash makes the team right now if the season were to start today. The point is that Sheffield isn’t seen as a reliever, he’s seen as starter depth.
Those following Stoudt’s progress have suggested he’s real close. Sheffield’s on the 40 and may get a look first, but Seattle appears to be a lot higher on Stoudt than they are Sheffield.