The Mariners have released right-hander Daniel Ponce de Leon, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The 30-year-old will return to the open market and search for his next opportunity.
Ponce de Leon was drafted by the Cardinals in 2014 and stayed with the organization until being released in September of 2021. He had a nice MLB debut but saw his ERA climb as time went on. He put up a 2.73 ERA in 2018, followed by marks of 3.70, 4.96 and 6.21 in the three subsequent campaigns.
Although he generally got strikeouts at above-average rates, his walks kept mounting and made it harder for him to succeed. Last year, the strikeouts vanished, as his rate dropped from 31.5% in 2020 to 15.2% in 2021, helping his ERA spike. On the whole, he has 147 2/3 innings of MLB experience with a 4.33 ERA, 37% ground ball rate, 23.9% strikeout rate and 12.7% walk rate.
This year, he signed a minor league deal with the Angels in January but was released and joined the Mariners on another minors deal in April. Even during his down years with the Cardinals, he still generally pitched well in Triple-A, though even that has eluded him this season. Through 16 starts with the Tacoma Rainiers, he’s logged 71 1/3 innings with a 7.95 ERA. His 24.1% strikeout rate is a bit above average, but his 12.7% walk rate and 27% ground ball rate are both subpar. Based on those unfortunate results, the Mariners have cut him loose and sent him back into free agency.
I remember this dude wrote and released a biography without ever accomplishing much. Released it like his 2nd or 3rd season lol
The book was an account of how he came back from a near-fatal injury at Memphis in AAA, in 2017 when he took a Carantini line drive to the head. Sort of different from the way you characterize it.
https://pressboxonline.com/2021/03/28/cardinals-rhp-daniel-ponce-de-leon-on-journey-back-from-life-threatening-injury/
Not really. It was a biography about him. His injury was just one of the stories, albeit the main one. But it doesn’t make what I said any less right lol try harder
Its funny because he’s accomplished much more in his life than you have I’m sure. Maybe do some research before you make more of an ass of yourself.
I agree his take is terrible, but I always find the “he’s accomplished much more” take odd considering you have no idea. Wowww could be a doctor, scientist, or belong to one of the other countless professions that truly accomplish more than ballplayers.
@myaccount: Exactly!
Yep because a person who’s accomplished that much would be trolling the MLB Trade Rumors page….
Wasn’t trolling lol even if it makes an interesting story it could have just been an article. More power to him if a publisher wants to pay him for it. But he wasn’t a big name or a great player so his own book still seems unwarranted. But hey attack me, I don’t mind you’ll have to do much better than that lol
Wow – You open yourself up for it with a dumb comment like you posted attacking a guy who overcame near death and brain trauma and still made his way to the major leagues. Life is. Ore than baseball and his book is about life and overcoming obstacles and “getting back up” when things seem overwhelming.
@qbert- You don’t think doctors, lawyers, physicists, engineers, etc. have hobbies? I think it’s foolish to believe busy or accomplished people don’t use this website. I mean, MLB players peruse MLBTR and they probably work over 320 days a year between workouts, spring training, games, and so on which is pretty busy, I’d say.
The “they have accomplished more than you” comes from someone who’s accomplished nothing, typically. Just sour grapes
I really wish people would get over that “he’s accomplished more than you” line. First of all, why are you comparing? What are you, seven years old? Second, Wowwwwww could be a surgeon for all you or anyone else knows. Or maybe he’s a self-made millionaire. And even if he isn’t, let’s stop comparing. It’s childish.
Wow. Accomplishing much in life is all about baseball stats, huh? Inspiring story of a guy who almost died from a baseball injury, battled back and got close to a no hitter in his return. Regardless of baseball, this guy is a winner with interesting perspective.
Apparantly Wowwwww still hasn’t gotten over his own brain trauma
I remember when Ponce first came up, was pretty impressive. Then from 2020 on it was just like he struggled to finish off hitters? Nothing he had was that strikeout pitch and he pitched like he wanted strikeouts could get two strikes and just couldn’t put batters away, this eventually led to increased walk rates.
So he couldn’t find the fountain of youth in Seattle then. I know I hate myself for typing it too.
@hiflew at least it made Caligula grin (i had to throw a tool reference in there)
Now all the idiots will make “witty” comments about the Fountain of Youth or some other cringeworthy nonsense.
What a name to be saddled with.
I’m for more baseball. The M’s are on the best kind of roll.
Yes,But But!
At least these “idiots” know something about Spanish exploring history. Plus St. Augustine FL is a pretty cool town.
But why not stick to baseball conversation on this baseball site?
Apparently these clowns know Spanish exploring history and yada yada but the game of baseball remains a mystery to them.
How many think the M’s can sweep the Astros at home?
I do. They may not sweep, but it would not surprise me if they did.
All of a sudden they are the completest team I remember ever seeing.
Then why don’t you talk about baseball instead of insulting people trying to have a little fun?
@Fred He’s Costanza’s favorite explorer.
Costanza? Who he?
Like Me! PONCE got BOUNCED!
First Governor of Puerto Rico
Looks like he found the Fountain of Truth instead…off to the Asian leagues or even the Frontier League now.
NICE!
He’ll end up with the Giants and pitch to a 1.49 ERA for about three months.
Ponce de Leon
Constantly on
The Fountain of Youth
Not Robotron
Peace is a word
I’ve heard before
So, move and move and move
Upon the dance floor
Hope you are rocking the adidas when you typed that.
I rock my Adidas, never rock Fila
Where’s the valid evidence that his strikeout rate dropping helped his ERA spike? ….Note that I specified “valid evidence”.
The ERA spike from 4.96 in 2020 to 6.21 in 2021. All you needed to do was click on his baseball reference page.
@qbert: I see you didn’t understand the question. (And for emphasis and clarity, I practically asked the question twice, even.)
The article states his strikeout rate fell from 31.5% in 2020 to 15.2% in 2021 which coincides with his ERA spike that I mentioned earlier. How much more “valid evidence” do you need?
@qbert: That’s not even evidence let alone valid evidence. It’s merely correlational. Simpleton analytics.
His walk rate also shot up as did his WHIP.
@Tbear: Those are merely additional global factors that TEND to correlate with ERA. No causal evidence has been presented.
The only pitching variable that matters, EVER, is not giving up runs. Everything else is merely predictive.
Except for closers. For them, the only variable that matters, EVER, is save percentage. Everything else is merely predictive.
Whoever upvoted qbert’s comment should remedy that situation. He erred, having completely failed to understand the question.
Tampa Bay or Miami teams may find some magic with him – if they consider history
Dude was a stud and highly touted pitcher in st. Louis org what happened well I feel like he was never given a consistent chance pulled up and down a lot from minors to big leagues time for the As to give this stud muffin a chance
Dude can’t throw consistent strikes. Too many walks, constantly falls behind in counts, can’t locate within the strike zone. A pure thrower, not a pitcher. And I say all of that regrettably. I really wanted it to work out for him in St Louis or somewhere else.
Add to that a poor attitude. Couldn’t control his pitches or his emotions.
O wow didn’t realize he was a princess
He was given plenty of opportunities in STL. There were flashes of what could be, but it never really came together.
Ponce de Leon actually found the ‘Fountain’ quite some time ago….the Fountain of Walks, Hits and Earned Runs!!! 😉
With the Cardinals he had ok frontline stats but to watch him pitch was agonizing. 100 pitches in 5 innings and never seemed to learn to finish off a batter efficiently. Bend(a lot)but not break was his specialty. He might be able to figure out the middle relief thing if his arm is still ok.
Tomorrow is 12 days until the deadline and we talking about Ponce de Leon… alrighty then!
As this website wrote. “With the annual amateur draft and All-Star Game now in the rearview mirror, what figures to be a frenzied and condensed summer trade market will be up and running.”
So this is the first of a frenzied trade market time! Wahoo! I’m soooo excited!
Looks like a c bloom classic pick up, make way for Boston next
Dbacks just released Dallas Keuchel.
He has a bad attitude and tried blaming Yadi of all people for his pitching struggles.
Flashback.. he walked in a run or two w stl and went after yadi in the dugout.. released the next day.
Flashback.. he walked in a run or two w stl and went after yadi in the dugout.. released the next day. Hope someone signs him but no love lost,
Flashback..when the going gets tough, Yadi goes on vacation and abandons his team
I used to watch him pitch on Friday nights when he was at the University of Houston. I always thought he got a raw deal with the Cardinals. He’d put up good numbers in a start, get moved to the pen. Put up good numbers in the pen then get demoted to the minors. Granted the Cardinals always have good depth, he just didn’t get a chance to build off his success.