The Mariners have added some left-handed pitching depth, bringing in Eric Stout on a minor league deal, per Baseball America’s transactions page. The 30-year-old was a free agent after being released from the Cubs’ organization.
Drafted in the 13th round in 2014 by the Royals, Kansas City handed Stout a brief debut in 2018. He was knocked around for six earned runs in just three outings and was released by the organizations not long after. Since then Stout’s largely bounced around the league providing bullpen depth.
Seattle will be the seventh team he’s been employed by, with the Cubs and Pirates the only two beyond the Royals that he’s made it to the big leagues. Those appearances came last year, when Stout pitched a combined 22 1/3 innings across Chicago and Pittsburgh, working to a 5.64 ERA with a 22.7% strikeout rate and a 14.6% walk rate. As is often the case with left-handers, the splits were stark as right-handed hitters torched Stout to the tune of a .359/.477/.623 line, while left-handers were held to a .158/.289/.184 line.
Gabe Speier and Tayler Saucedo are the current left-handers in the Mariners’ bullpen, and while Stout will link up with the team’s Triple-A affiliate, the inevitable churn of a major league bullpen over the course of a long season could see opportunities for Stout to contribute down the line.
He has around 400 million reasons to stick with baseball if it doesn’t work out with the Mariners.
Seth Beer, Bo Porter, Zack Wheat
Guinness Eckersley
Should have gone to the Brewers,
Seems to be no end to pitches possibilities, contrary to finding offensive firepower. Last nights game produced 5 runs by way of 6,or 7 hits do to a unique circumstances, and a timely hit they prevailed, yet are still having some sorting out to do.
They could better tweak the batting order for one. I would like to see them shuffle around the 1,and 2 hitters in the lineup. Last night since you had France who does not run well become involved in two double play combinations that need not continue. Put Crawford back in leadoff. A better fit is if someone was available who could also steal bases, and hit,,, Oh well, or have Crawford in the number 2 hole he simply should be in the top of the order. France in the 3 hold if you like, 4.. put the new guy here. at 5 the third base or mix, and match, with the 4th spot. 6 would be the catcher 7 second base 8 DH. 9 Kelenic from 7th and on would be more so the area of change. The world problems can be solved.
JP is a grinder and works deep into counts and that is useful for a guy who is really not a bat first player-because he is a slap hitter more than a pull hitter he doesn’t really fit into the two hole (his left handedness does protect a runner on first from right handed catchers tho) a pull hitter like Kelenic profiles better in the two hole. He doesn’t have the speed desired for lead off either. I would prefer we keep him in the 9hole.
La Stella needs to go, he has no place on this roster-and I cannot see one at the MLB level where he does. I understand wanting to protect Kelenic down in the lineup as he was/is a head case but seems to be showing a better ability to not get down and stay there: still early and waiting until he has built a better track record is a smart thing too.
What Hummel has done isn’t going to help us in the long run but I understand trying. Pollock seems to be gaining traction, which will help, same with Teo. The line up is good aside from two positions that simply haven’t gotten any traction DH &2B- Wong has a track record and if he could just play up to the back of his baseball card we would be fine. Unfortunately his slow start, along with others has just been amplified because offensively we are not deep. Pollock isn’t what I desire as a DH, and Kelenic is showing that he can play every day. Almost nullifying Pollock as a contributor. We are still in the first month of the season, but if this continues there will need to be other options asap. Caballero has been a pleasant surprise but I don’t see it as sustainable. Meanwhile Mike Ford is hitting tanks in Tacoma waiting for his chance to knock LaStella outta the bigs.