At some point in the coming days, the Mariners are planning to shift to a six-man rotation, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto told Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. Despite season-ending injuries to Robbie Ray, Marco Gonzales, and Easton McGee, the Mariners boast one of the deepest rotations in baseball. As Dipoto put it, “Our one through six in the starting rotation … can pitch with anybody in the league.” That being said, most of Seattle’s starting pitchers are young and inexperienced; in other words, they could benefit from some extra rest.
The current starting five consists of Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Logan Gilbert, and Emerson Hancock. Bryan Woo is expected to return from the injured list and rejoin the rotation early next week (Twitter link). Of those six, only Castillo and Gilbert had pitched a full major league season before this year. Miller, Hancock, and Woo are rookies, while Kirby, still just 25 years old, is on pace to pitch his first qualified season. He threw 130 innings last year in his rookie campaign.
As Jude reports, the Mariners plan to go with a six-man rotation once Woo comes back from the IL. He could have supplanted Hancock, who has struggled in his first two big league starts (5.40 ERA, 9.8% strikeout rate), but it seems Seattle is comfortable giving the top prospect a longer leash. However, Dipoto did mention that the team might “piggyback” Woo and Hancock down the stretch after trying out a six-man rotation for a week or two.
Additional rest will be most beneficial for Seattle’s young arms, but it should help the rest of the rotation, too. Castillo has been one of the more durable starters in baseball over the last six years, making 158 starts with a 3.58 ERA. Only six pitchers have thrown more innings in that time, so he could certainly use some time off. The same goes for Gilbert, who had thrown 338 2/3 big league innings before his 26th birthday. Since making his debut in 2021, he ranks tenth in the majors in starts and 15th in innings pitched. Dipoto acknowledged that Castillo, Gilbert, and Kirby will have to shoulder plenty of responsibility should the Mariners make the playoffs, and some extra rest now should help them stay fresh for a potential postseason run.
However, while this arrangement will benefit everyone in the rotation, it will make things harder on the bullpen. If the Mariners carry six starting pitchers, they will only have room for seven relievers on the 26-man roster. Furthermore, it’s not as if Seattle’s young starters have been pitching especially deep into games. Woo and Hancock are averaging exactly five innings per start, while Miller is averaging five and a third. Castillo, Kirby, and Gilbert are averaging about six innings per start, but those three will pitch less often with a six-man rotation. Thus, the bullpen will have a heavier load to carry for as long as the six-man rotation experiment lasts.
Thankfully for Seattle, they have one of the best bullpens in baseball. Mariners relievers rank second in ERA and third in FanGraphs WAR, and they’ve still had excellent results since losing closer Paul Sewald, pitching to a 1.89 ERA since the trade deadline. Moreover, they have essentially been using a seven-man bullpen as it is. Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash, Trent Thornton, Tayler Saucedo, Justin Topa, Isaiah Campbell, and Gabe Speier have combined to pitch 45 2/3 of the 47 2/3 innings the Mariners bullpen has thrown since August 1. The Mariners will be counting on those seven to handle a difficult workload for the next while, but eventually, they should get some relief if Woo and Hancock do, in fact, move into a piggyback arrangement.
Gonzales and Ray are expected to rejoin the club at some point in 2024, at which point the Mariners will have an embarrassment of riches in the starting rotation. Gonzales is under team control through 2025, while Ray is signed through 2026. Castillo, meanwhile, is signed through 2027 with a vesting option for 2028. Gilbert is also under team control through 2027, Kirby through 2028, and the rookies through at least 2029 (pending further optional assignments).
With so many capable starters (and so many arms that will need a 40-man spot over the winter), there’s a good chance Dipoto will look to make a trade. The Mariners were reportedly willing to consider dealing one of their starting pitchers this summer, and they’ll have a better opportunity to do so over the offseason. The Cardinals, who have a surplus of young hitters but not nearly enough pitching, could be an interesting trade partner. They will be looking to add multiple starters this winter, and they were already linked to Gilbert earlier this year.
I think the mariners would be better suited to move woo or Hancock to the pen as a long reliever as they don’t have a guy who can go more the two innings.
Castillo and Kirby are really the only guys that should have normal, full starts planned in the playoffs. Everything else should rely heavily on that bullpen and just piece together those 9 innings based on matchups and players that are currently pitching well. Might as well get the rest used to long relief type outings.
Gilbert should too get a full start.
Gabe Kapler is that you?
Re: your idea of sending one of Woo or Hancock into the Pen. I wouldn’t be surprised if both go into the BP if they make the playoffs.
I don’t see a 5 man Rotation happening because the plan is to manage the workload of both Rookie SP’s. That won’t happen if they send one to the BP. Besides – if they continue to Pitch this well there is no need for a multi inning/bulk inn RPer.
Disagree. Keep these kids stretched out as long possible. Build them up for next season.
Hancock did not struggle in his first start. We beat SD in his MLB debut as he made Tatis look silly. He even had his ERA down 0.96 right before Witt’s Grand SLAM, which shouldn’t of even happened except for a 3rd strike call earlier in the inning that never happened. Emerson has looked fantastic! It’s lazy reporting from a website that didn’t watch either game and are only looking at the numbers.
Agree, I laughed at the statement too that Hancock struggled in his first two outings. He was all over SportsCenter after his first start about how good he pitched and then had 0 runs through 4 in start two but with a 7-0 lead, gave up a grandslam. So just his final inning of this 2nd outing was a struggle.
People are just numbers… didn’t you get the news flash? Stop watching the game… just look at the numbers then Manfred looses and we all WIN
I have lurked on this website for going on 10 years and have never created an account. The reporting on Emerson here is so trash that it drove me to create an account and post a comment.
He thought he could slide one by the putrid Mariners fan base. Glad enough people watch the games to hold this lazy reporter accountable.
It’s because they haven’t used their 8th reliever that they can move to a 6-man rotation so easily, but it’s worth noting they’ll get an extra arm back in two weeks anyway as rosters expand.
Making a pitch for Ohtani.
@Halo so I take it you dont realize they only utilized a true 6 man rotation for a portion of 2021 when Ohtani first played an entire season as 2 way player. Last year he started 28 games. He’s already at 22 starts this year even with missing 2 starts with the blister issue. They ve been using a 5 man rotation all of the past 2 seasons. They have called up a spot starter or plugged in an arm for a start here and there when necessary, which is what every team does.
This is the third year the Angels have had a six man rotation to accommodate Ohtani. He’s only been in the rotation three years. The first year he only pitched Sunday, but got hurt at around 50 innings.
This is the first year the Angels have used the off day to take the place of a 5th starter.
You obviously haven’t been following this.
Did I mention anything other than the last 3 years? And using off days and an occasional extra starter is spot starting, not a 6 man rotation. And to your notion it’s a 6 man rotation due to need derived from Ohtani, he led the team with 28 starts last season and is tied for lead this season. So that does not really hold water.
Having a 6 man rotation to accommodate Ohtani, would b dedicating a roster spot and financial resources to having a full time 6th the starting pitcher. Using travel day for rest or a spot starter on occasion is not a burden on the roster as you are implying and is common practice across MLB.
If you want to b honest about where Ohtani’s 2 way playing becomes a burden, it is being a full time DH. And that burden is not truly because of him, it is because of Trout’s injury woes in recent years and the importance of his health due to his contract and impact on the roster. That is not a fault of Ohtani’s that the DH spot would b beneficial to keeping Trout’s bat in lineup while resting him from the field. And if he chooses another team, that burden stays with the Angels….
He has never pitched on four four days rest, I don’t even have to look it up.
Since most teams play five consecutive games throughout the season, any team that utilizes Ohtani will need a six man starting rotation?
The six man rotation, and it is a six man rotation is a burden.
The Angels best pitchers seldom pitch on four days rest.m
They do not carry 6 starting pitchers on roster every day. That is an unequivocal fact. The burden of a 6 man rotation would b a roster spot used for entire season day in and day out for a 6th starter. And then if a spot starter being called up, it being a roster move aside from said 6 starters. That to is a fact.
And here is a reality teams rarely play 7 days in a week and because of that most MLB pitchers do not pitch on 4 days rest. So again the reality is the Angels do not truly use a 6 man rotation.
The Angels don’t carry six starting pitchers, who knew? Right now the Angels sixth starter is a guy they paid 15 million for. Last year it was Lorenzen. This year their sixth starter to start the season was Suarez…. How’d he do?
Ohtani makes 28 starts. Fifty starters had more starts. No Angels, those. 20 extra games are started by someone.
I’m not sure how anyone who watches this doesn’t know this.
Suarez hasn’t started a game since May 7th. I’d say most would not consider him a member of the rotation at the moment…..
And he opened the season as the Angels sixth starter. He started because of a Ohtani. There are 20 games someone needs to start because Ohtani.
You don’t think that’s an issue? There are 20 games started because Ohtani needs that extra days rest.
Those 20 games are not pitched by the teams five best starters.
He has started 22 games and missed 2 due to a blister. 2 pitchers in MLB have started 26 games attgis point and numerous others have started 25 games. Had Ohtani not missed the 2 starts with the blister issue he’d b right there at 24 starts. So again what you are saying is unequivocally false.
You keep missing the point. At any point in time, the Angels have to start six pitchers. No matter how healthy the staff is, someone other than than Angels five current best starters gets 20 starts a season.
The Angels second, third, fourth and fifth best starters get fewer starts accommodating for Ohtani. Three or four times a month the Angels are pitching a pitcher who is only pitching to accommodate Ohtani’s schedule.
It’s not a small thing.
You are missing the point. Aside from Ohtani’s blister issue he is on pace with MLB leaders in starts. And no they do not roster 6 starters despite u trying to say a guy who hasn’t started since May 7th is a part of the rotation.
Have a good evening. Get the last word in as u so desire…..
“And here is a reality teams rarely play 7 days in a week and because of that most MLB pitchers do not pitch on 4 days rest. So again the reality is the Angels do not truly use a 6 man rotation.”
I would have to disagree on that because the schedule may originally say 6 games but with rain outs and moving games they push games out til later. Right now the mets are playing 14 games over a 13 day span and that was just after 9 games in a row with 1 day off between these two spans and this isnt the first time this season they had to do that. I cant imagine they are the only team to have to do that either. Also most times series are back to back so atleast one pitcher would be on short rest as most series are 3 games each with one day off after a back to back.
And again, you are missing the point. The entire Angel pitching staff adjusts to Ohtani’s schedule.
This year Ohtani pitches every sixth day. What about the other starting pitchers? Everyone rotation spot has to be adjusted to accommodate Ohtani. And the three or four times a month the angels play 6 consecutive games, the Angels are pitching a starter that wouldn’t be pitching except to accommodate Ohtani.
Again, you are missing the point.
Roll, I’m not sure what you are trying to say, but in the Angel case, every starting pitcher adjusts to Ohtani.
Ohtani stays on a six man schedule, every other starter has their starts pushed. And of course, that three or four times a month when the Angels play six consecutive games, the Angels throw a sixth starter and Ohtani stays on a six man schedule and everyone else has their stats pushed.
Ohtani is high maintenance. He’s easily worth it, but it’s not all unicorns and rainbows.
Halo, see my comment further down. Last year the top 3 Angels starters had 28, 27, 25 starts. Seattle’s top 3 starters had 32, 32, 32 starts. 2 of those Seattle starters have been useless this year. Yes, the Angels effectively used a six man rotation and last year Seattle also effectively used a five man rotation. Clearly, Seattle is rethinking their approach. The Angels got there because of Ohtani. But it’s not a bad place to be if you can make it work, and not just for one season.
As sort of an addendum, I would think the teams doing the six man rotation would expect more innings per start from their pitchers so as not to overburden the bullpen.
You showed the issue, but also showed why it might be beneficial.
It clearly affects the pitchers in the rotation. It’s silly to just look at Ohtani without seeing what else is happening in those other 130+ starts.
@halos read the quoted part
tigers says teams rarely play 7 games in a week i just pointed out a team in the mets that are in the midst of coming off 9 games days in a row and now playing 14 games for 13 days in a row and actually have 17 games in a row next month and they have done over 7 games in a row atleast 2 times before these stretches and im sure more than that already this season. Im sure there are more teams that do this so for it to be a rarity would be incorrect statement.
Teams more often than not play 6 consecutive games. A calendar week is myopic. His entire point is myopic. It centers around Ohtani and Monday through Sunday.
If a team plays on a Monday or Thursday, which happens most weeks, this teams need six starters.
As far as weather adjustments, that is something that teams have to adjust for. It’s one thing to adjust for weather three or four times a year, But a team has to adjust to Ohtani 20+ times a year.
Just pointing at Ohtani and writing he gets 28 starts in short-sighted.
I really don’t want to get into this anymore, but everyone who follows the Angels on a daily basis knows this.
The 6 man Rotation was not a burden to the Astros in the 2nd half of last year.
Just looking at the Dodger schedule, 20 times they play 6 consecutive days. And that’s not counting the adjustments they’ll have to make to keep Ohtani on an every six day pitching schedule.
Ohtani is like dating a high maintenance supermodel who loves, and is great at sex. Well worth it, but she’s still high maintenance. Not that I would personal know.
Did they skip a starter and move other starters around to accommodate anyone?
If you have Ohtani you do. And of course, it’s six man all year, not just a couple of months.
@Roll, the Mets playing 13 of 14 days is a rarity not a common occurrence. That is why I said rarely opposed to never. And often when teams play a doubleheader due to a rain out they call up a spot starter to mitigate the impact on the rotation. And the games are played as doubleheaders usually opposed to on off days to mitigate the scheduling and travel impact on teams.
@whyhayzee, the main point here was not to get into a pxssing match with him or to b right. It was that having Ohtani in rotation does not force them to carry 6 starters on roster. With MLB rules as they are teams can call up players to make starts, use a RP for a spot start, use an opener, etc… But it does not require a team to dedicate a roster spot 100% of time to carrying a 6th pitcher only for starting.
Also the notion that any team acquiring Ohtani has to do the same as the Angels have is not the case. He is not a Gremlin who comes with a set of rules. And there is a good chance in the event he leaves the Angels they still try and utilize resources to maximize rest for pitchers. As you pointed out with the Mariners it cam b beneficial for keeping arms healthy.
Yes it does. Twenty times a year that spot comes up and either you go to a bullpen game or you need that starter.
I’ve been watching how this works for four seasons. That include Ohtani’s first season.
This is like a weatherman telling you it’s sunny and you look out your window and see it’s raining.
You believe some data that you incorrectly analyzed, I’ve seen how it works it real life.
@tigers
It is such a rarity they are doing 17 days in a row next month … and i said 14 games in 13 days. They actually played 23 games in 23 days with one day off in between as they had a double header for one of the days and was coming off a 9 games in a row.
Actually playing 13 games in 14 days is a very regular accurance … most teams do it atleast once a month if not more especially towards the end of the year. So far the Tigers have done 10games+ in row without a day off atleast 5 times and about half of those were 12+ … 5 times in 5 months seems pretty regular / common to me oh and they have another 14 game set coming up next month as well if you were curious.
Tigers, I’m too busy thinking about the super model.
@halos
i think you are misunderstanding what a 6 man rotation is vs spot starting. It is basically you have a set 6th starter (usually dedicated but seems more bullpenish now). So your opening day pitcher would pitch game 1 then 7 game then game 13. etc etc if it was a 6 man rotation … instead he is pitch game 1 then 6 then 11 etc. If my count is right they added a starter between his outings 4 times this season with one of those i believe being because they wanted him to pitch 4th of july to get the crowds out there (art always about getting them seats filled), one to injury. They still got him the 5 days rest with all those. (except the short start he had this year and was on 3 day rest)
So if anything this would be spot starting and not 6 man rotation.
@Roll, u point Ed out a single instance not multiple. And with the double header that are not playing 7 days in either week. And something occurring once does not make it a rarit. Far more often than not teams have an off day during each week.
@Halo the off days are primarily used on tues/thurs to mitigate the amount of times teams play 7 consecutive days.
@Halo, and to your main point where this all started, Ohtani does not absolutely require a being in a 6 man rotation or extra rest. That is by choice of Amgels. It is not an absolute that must be followed.
@Roll they added twice. He’d b at 24 starts if he hafld not missed games with blister. Bit the key point for Halo is it does not require a 6th starter being on roster the entirety of season.
@tigers
“And with the double header that are not playing 7 days in either week. ”
I actually didnt .. they played every game from august 1st – august 9th off august 10th played a double header august 11th then playing through to august 23. So even by this definition that is 2 instances in one month..
“@Roll, u point Ed out a single instance not multiple.”
for the mets look at the schedule for below … these are all games in a row with NO days off let alone the 1 day you mentioned.
april 14-april23 i count 10 days more than 7 by my count
may 9th-may 19th …. im sure you can math this is more than 7
june 23 – july 2nd … fyi there are 30 days in june so still more than 7
august 1st – august 9th .. keep going sure?
august 11th – august23
sept 8- sept 24
is 6 instances in 6 months count as rarity … for fun lets do tigers
april 21-may10th
may 19th – may 30th
june 8 – june21st
june 23 – july 2nd
july 14th – july30th
august 4th – august 13th.
august 15-august23
august 25th – sep 3
sep 12 – sep 24
is this enough instances to not be rare. If it isnt im sure you can go look at another team and see pretty much the same thing.
@Roll I stand corrected, I truly thought MLB did a better job utilizing off days in scheduling. I’m kind of surprised at how poorly spread out the scheduling is.
But to the main point of this thread. The off days that teams do have, ability to call people up, ability to use a RP for a spot start, ability to use an opener, etc.. . The notion that any team signing Ohtani will b forced to use a roster spot solely for a 6th starter just is not the case. Yes there will b certain games where they might b burdened by having to call up a starter when bullpen is taxed. But for the most part using a 6th starter occasionally for rest carries little and often no roster burden. And the team signing him could just march him out there every 5th day if they so choose, rendering it a moot point.
I did like your break down of Mariners pitching from last year and how it has potentially impacted them.
@tigers
i think the mariners breakdown was hayzee but i could be wrong
i agree that they should do a better job but there are just sooooo many unneeded games. i cant see how you can see a huge difference from a baseball perspective of 140 games vs 162. (Mathing in my head but i think 22 is how many weeks in a baseball season) which will give you an extra day a week. The main reason is more dollars which is understandable from the dollar / business perspectives.
i never disagreed with the statement of spot starting only addressing 6 man wasnt being utilized .. i think having a long man in the pen that “could” spot start in a pinch is a great thing to have. I was hoping either Curtiss Peterson or Luchessi could have been that for the mets. If you dont think you will need the long man … piggy back them with a starter and save the bullpen and give everyone else a night off or bump everyone back one extra day in the rotation before a long stretch of games.
Well as far as the Mets go nothing really went well as far as pitching this season aside from Senga. Right ou/ the gate JV and Quintana missing time and losing Diaz prior to season even starting.
On a positive note tho most of the $ will b off books after next season and they not only preserved farm system but ended up bolstering it. As far as the cost, it’s not as tho it will hurt Cohen in any way.
Great, just what they need, one fewer start from Castillo, Kirby, and Gilbert…
Sleeper team in AL playoffs, if they can get there.
“Not you, henchman arbitrarily turning knobs, making it seem like you’re doing something.”
-Dr. Evil
This is what I think of every time DiPoto does anything
“Some of you I know, some of you I’m meeting for the first time.”
― Dr. Evil
If it works it’s right.
That is the definition of pragmatism, and I say we need to be pragmatic about the 6-man rotation. That extra day can be crucial to young or overworked pitching staffs.
Personally, I like it.
M’s going all in… I can respect that.
Stop with the Cardinals trade crap already. Gilbert is worth more than anyone the cards are willing to trade. the Ms need a big, all caliber 3 hole hitter. Cards don’t have that to trade.
The Cardinals having anything the Mariners want (or that St Louis would part with enough, which they won’t) is such a Boomer take
Carlson is hurt/not hitting. Throw in Walker and something else, and DiPoto might call you back, depending on what “Something else” is
You know, lil stevie, nobody thinks your funny. Stop.
I think Little Stevie is quite funny. Carry on.
Couldn’t agree more, Bob. Especially now that Seattle acquired Rojas and Bliss, and still have Moore, Haggerty, and Caballero.
If they’re going to upgrade from their current options, it wouldn’t likely be for a Cardinal and it almost certainly wouldn’t come at the expense of Gilbert.
Except Gilbert is a strong number 3, so try again!!
The Cardinals have no bats worth trading for, especially none worth any of the Mariners young starters. I might trade Marco for Wynn though.
Now this is whats’ called a surplus, not what was described in the Astros article yesterday about their OF.
Won’t be long till every team will be on a six manner, the trend is your friend.
I always worry that the prefix for six is hex. It’s just a pent up worry though.
With September 1 coming along in just 13 days, they’ll be able to add a bullpen guy soon to fill that 8th bullpen spot. We’re only talking about twice through the rotation before that happens (off day on the 24th)
Very original idea. Seems like every team has copied the Astros since 2015 in every way.
I wish starters weren’t treated like like babies and pitched the full game.
I ran 6 miles or more almost 500 straight days until I was in a really bad accident on my bike when a car cut in front of me.
Sometimes when you get hit hard it’s best to come out of the game.
Times have changed. They through much harder now so pitcher injuries are more frequent. Also analytics has taught us it’s better to remove the SP early and move onto the bullpen.
Gilbert, kirby, and I say miller are as untouchable as ever. Of course they won’t part with Castillo either. Woo is my guess for a trade option if he finishes strong in Sept. Miller hasn’t even scratched the surface of his full ceiling. He’s had #2 SP numbers throughout his minors career so I would bet on him making a sizable year 2 leap similar to what Gilbert has done this season. Woo for Torres in NY if Cashman can play ball come DEC.
I love threads of hyper defensive M’s fans. They’re the best.
M’s fans are sooo triggered! It’s awesome!
Congrats
If the M’s land Ohtani this off-season, they can trade one of these guys for another good bat and make a run at being the best team in baseball. Obviously a massive “if”, but not out of the realm of possibility. They are my favorite dark horse team to land Ohtani.
Fun with math:
If 5 starters are used in a 162 game season, the GS numbers are 33, 33, 32, 32, 32. Obviously, it never plays out to those numbers, but you often see the top of the rotation pitchers getting 32 starts, very occasionally 33 starts.
If 6 starters are used in a 162 game season, the GS numbers are 27, 27, 27, 27, 27, 27. Again, these numbers never actually happen, but it’s instructive if the top of the rotation pitchers on some teams are showing 27 starts.
Injuries aside, if the top starter on a team has remained healthy and started 27 games rather than 32 games, it’s not a bad stretch to say that team used a six man rotation. Some teams do it with “openers”, a la Tampa Bay.
But, there needs to be a distinction between a six man rotation and a team carrying six starting pitchers, because they’re not necessarily the same thing.
I hope that helps explain the situation.
The M’s won’t land Ohtani, and they are exceedingly unlikely to trade a starter.
Can organic advances power the offense to the next level?
Julio
JP
Eugenio
Cal/Murphy
France
Kelenic
Marlowe/Moore
Canzone/Cal
Rojas/Bliss/Caballero
Maybe that’s enough? Still counting on a lot of young hitters to take it to the next level
If Bliss is going to get a real shot, 2024 is it, before Cole Young probably muddies that opening.
Probably the last hurrah for the France/Eugenio/JP old guard.
Do you really think they could get away with that as a roster and legitimately contend for a World Series?
I don’t.
JP is having a career year. I don’t think he’s in any danger of getting moved. But there’s a real need for impact bats and not too many positions should be locks.
while i agree with your sentiment and unlikely but its not impossible.
Who would have thought a lineup of Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, Kendrys Morales, Mike Moustakas, Paulo Orlando, Salvador Perez, Alex Rios, Ben Zobrist. would win a world series. With a staff fronted by Edison Volquez.
definitely a miracle season for the Royals. Maybe the same happens for the Mariners who knows.
Many of those names were stars! That was a solid Royals club. They also had a lot more experience at that point (and of course many left the organization for free agency shortly after). The 2021 Braves were a comparable club as well.
But the comment I made wasn’t about 2023, it was about the team as-is moving forward. I don’t think they could legitimately contend for a World Series with so much inexperience. They’d be banking on breakouts from too many players.
Never say never, and right now I’m pleasantly surprised to see the 2023 team playing good baseball, but Seattle has yet to make a real effort to give themselves better odds. They literally have just one fielder on the club of the five that were acquired in the offseason, and that player, Teo, will be a free agent..
I want to see them improve their odds.
I have my doubts about being able to land Ohtani, not because of cash, but because convincing him that the ownership will provide the resources to address the other holes will be difficult. Maybe they would have to make other moves first, then talk.
But if they don’t get Ohtani, they can’t stand pat. They have to get players who could put them over the top. Blake Snell, Cody Bellinger, a DH like Joc Pederson or Rhys Hoskins, etc. Those are just some of the free agents that might make sense. Of course we all know Seattle has a knack for trades.
Anyway, 2023 could very well prove to be a miracle season for Seattle. I don’t disagree with you there. I remain more skeptical than optimistic, but I can’t stress enough how thrilled I’d be if they pulled it off!
Adams the hack strikes again, not knowing how to use commas. Time to fix his once again numerous problems.
“… they should get some relief if Woo and Hancock do, in fact, move into a piggyback arrangement.”
Should be “… they should get some relief if Woo and Hancock do in fact move into a piggyback arrangement.” Just elementary stuff here that this hack doesn’t understand.
Then we have the idiotic comma before “too.” Completely unnecessary.
Finally, we have “meanwhile” occurring in the middle of a sentence. Never should this come in the middle of the sentence. Completely destroys its flow for no good reason. Of course, this pea-brained Adams guy can’t tell the ends of a pen apart, so what would you expect?
FIRE STEVE ADAMS