The Mariners signed veteran right-handed reliever Bryan Shaw to a minor league deal yesterday. The team never formally announced it, but Shaw’s signing appears on their transaction log at MLB.com and the righty pitched in last night’s game for Triple-A Tacoma.
Shaw’s return to the Mariners organization — he also pitched for Seattle in 2020 — didn’t go particularly well. He retired only one of the five batters he faced, allowing a hit and three walks (one intentional) to the others. The 37-year-old right-hander had previously yielded five earned runs in 1 2/3 innings for the Reds’ top affiliate in Louisville before being cut loose.
Shaw pitched only four big league innings last year, his fewest single-season total since making his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks in 2011. It’s been several years since his peak as an iron man in Cleveland’s bullpen, but the well-traveled Shaw was an effective middle reliever as recently as 2023 with the White Sox. He tossed 45 2/3 innings that year and recorded a respectable 4.14 ERA with a 21.1% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate.
From 2013-17, Shaw tied lefty Tony Watson for the MLB lead among relievers at 358 2/3 innings. Shaw’s 378 total appearances during that time were by far the most in MLB. He wasn’t just a rubber arm, either; in those 358 2/3 innings, Shaw logged a 3.11 ERA and ranked third among all relievers with 110 holds (in addition to nine rogue saves). He’s had more shaky seasons than good ones in the time since that peak run. It seems fair to presume that Shaw’s nearly unrivaled workload took some toll on his arm, but it’s worth noting that he still has only one appearance on the MLB injured list in his entire career: a three-week stint due to a calf strain with the Rockies in 2018.
Dipoto probably reminded Shaw about the -0.7 WAR that was posted back in 2020.
I’m still surprised no team has signed Robertson or Turnbull
Robertson is definitely much more surprising to me. There has to be a good amount of relievers with a job that are much less effective than he would be.
I really respect the hustle this Brian Shaw has. He spent the early part of his athletic career as a solid guard in the NBA, for many years.
He then went on to compete in strongman competitions, becoming one of only 5 men to win the World’s Strongest Man title 4 times.
When he was done with that, he took up baseball and has been a reasonably effective and durable reliever at times over another pretty long career.
I’m excited to see what he does next. Should he try slapping on the skates and giving hockey a go?
He also worked with me at an electrical supply company in 1979. Man, how old is this guy?!!??!!
Loved him with the Lakers.
It feels like Bryan Shaw was old ten years ago
This dude hit free agency at the peak of the “overpay for bullpen” era. Over 10 years service time and over $42 million earned with his ability? All about timing and he played his cards perfectly.
The Rockies wasted big money on 3-year contracts for Shaw and Wade Davis, both of whom were awful for them. Both bad contracts in the same year as I recall.
Neither one was as bad as the Kris Bryant deal, though.
But there was a nice 10 years service time announcement for Bryant today. So many accomplishments outside of the Rockies org to highlight.
Pitchers ineffective for the Rockies?! No way!
Do we sign Danny Ferry now?
There shouldn’t be a comma before “either.”