The Mariners and Reds announced a trade sending reliever Yosver Zulueta to Seattle for minor league pitcher Dusty Revis. Zulueta was just designated for assignment by Cincinnati a few hours ago when they made their Pierce Johnson signing official. Seattle designated infielder Samad Taylor for assignment in a corresponding move.
Zulueta, who turns 28 next week, has a limited major league track record. He has thrown 23 2/3 innings for the Reds over the past two seasons. In that time, he has allowed 5.32 earned runs per nine frames. His 10.9% walk rate is on the high side but his 24.8% strikeout rate and 54% ground ball rate are both strong figures.
Despite the short résumé, the stuff is intriguing. His four-seamer and sinker have both averaged in the upper 90s during his time as a big leaguer. He has also thrown a slider and changeup in the upper 80s. His minor league numbers are also enticing, though with similar control issues as his time in the majors. At Triple-A last year, he tossed 60 1/3 innings with a 3.28 ERA, 31.2% strikeout rate and 56.5% ground ball rate but a 12.8% walk rate.
Zulueta first got a 40-man spot from the Blue Jays in November of 2022. He has mostly been on optional assignment in the three seasons since then, with a waiver claim by Cincinnati along the way.
That would normally position him to be out of options but he may qualify for a fourth option. A player can qualify for a fourth option if he doesn’t have five “full” seasons as a professional, with a “full” season usually consisting of 90 days on an active roster. Zulueta made his professional debut in 2021 but only made one appearance in Single-A that year, so he may only have four “full” seasons. That’s likely why his FanGraphs page lists him as still having an option.
The Mariners have a pretty good reputation of getting good results from unheralded relievers. That doesn’t mean they succeed with every guy they pick up but Zulueta clearly has a powerful arm, so perhaps Seattle can figure out a way to make good use of it. If things go well, Zulueta has less than a year of service time and can be affordably controlled into the foreseeable future.
Cincinnati takes a flier on Revis, whom Seattle drafted in the 11th round last summer. The 6’2″ righty turned in a 4.04 ERA across 15 starts during his final season at Western Carolina University. He didn’t pitch after the draft. Josh Kirshenbaum of MLB Pipeline wrote on draft day that he held his fastball velocity in the mid-90s while working out of the Catamounts rotation.
Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com first reported that Zulueta was being traded to Seattle. Photo courtesy of Katie Stratman, Imagn Images
Who
Yosver Zulueta
And Why
When will then be now?
Soon.
Depth
Yosver Zulueta. Which is French for givin me some effin Cola.
Because baseball.
The why is because he came up in the Blue Jays system. There’s a 100% chance a depth reliever ends up in Seattle once they leave the Jays
They are cousins with the same birthdate by the way…and also enjoy playing each other in the postseason. So it’s fitting!
Mike Jones. He’s gotta lotta haters and a lot of homies. Some are fake, some are phony.
It says above 👆
“It’s unclear what the Reds will receive in return.” Whatever they receive, it will make their Scrabble game a lot easier.
They’re gonna the soul of Jay Buhner captured like a genie in a bottle.
@player
Wasn’t that basically what Jay Bruce was when he was with the Reds?
Blockbuster addition to our bullpen
Quick! Name the number 7 and 8 relievers in the bullpen…
Vargas and Kowar?
Vargas and Reyes. They would love to get you a couple sowdas…😂
Vargas is already their number 6 reliever.
They don’t have a clear 7 and 8.
Muñoz, Brash, Speier, Ferrer, Bazardo, Vargas, and two TBDs.
Did you not understand that reference?
I wasn’t responding to you, I was responding to PNW.
Oh my bad.
Oh right, thx
Was a Jays prospect a while ago. Nuke Laloosh live arm. Mariners mascots beware.
Mariner Moose’s brother, Marty Moose does.not eff around when it comes to family.
Jerry is cooking. Too bad he doesn’t know how to cook.
What we all ate last year says otherwise.
Jerry definitely knows how to cook. Unfortunately, a lot of fans don’t have the intellect to understand that.
That’s a very old and lazy narrative. He’s actually a pretty darn good GM
With drafting and developing, he’s been really good. His manic trading has been less good. The reports from the Seattle Times were that lower level Mariners staffers have been able to restrain Dipoto’s trade mania, so he’s getting better there too
Geez and here I thought the Dipoto-haters were all in hiding, like Anne Frank.
Some Dipoto haters are Angels fans who blame him for their current position. Even though that was how many moons ago? And Arte probably didn’t let him cook.
This guy’s fun. Cuban dude who can throw the ball through walls, with a wipeout slider. K’s everyone he doesn’t walk, and keeps getting opportunities.
In the minors
“His stuff is intriguing ” ??? Maybe Tito should take some fly balls in the outfield and this guy can write an article about a potential comeback as a player/manager.
He’s 28 and been a failed suspect in two organizations. Maybe the college pitcher will turn out to be something for the Reds. At least he has a chance.
Well the Mariners have an incredible track record of turning projects like this into high leverage relievers. Sewald, Bazardo, Brash, Muñoz, Wilhelmson, Thornton, Snider ect….so wouldnt surprised if this guy becomes a very valuable asset.
Just call me “YZ”
*XYZ
YYZ. He came in from Toronto.
YYZa, if Canadian
Smashing Pumpkins approve this!
Is it true Billy Corgan is a born-again Christian true believer now??
Why not? If Dave Mustaine can be Christian, why not Corgan?
It wouldn’t be a Mariner offseason without a half dozen reliever projects.
As a Mariners fan, I approve!
Just like the Reds to give up on someone with this much talent, instead of any of the journeymen AAAA players they have on the 40.
They need to trade lux to avoid this kinda stuff
I’d say it was insane to give him 5 and a half mil in arb, but that lets ownership cry poor so they get another 4A player like Dane Myers instead of a real hitter
Well, you got your wish!
Dbird, guy is 28 and been dumped by two organizations. Plus he got lit up in any significant outing. At the end they only used him in last resort and only in blowouts. Except for throwing a straight fastball fast, where’s the talent? The slider when he doesn’t throw it in the dirt?
When the Mariners come calling about a reliever you think is washed, then you might want to reconsider your evaluation.
You wouldn’t happen to be the same Roy Donk who was a regular on The Colgate Comedy Hour?
Hey, a baby of fine taste, even if you have a massive underbite and completely flat back of the head! I’m the one and only King of the Tuk-Tuk sound. You had my vote for Baby of the Year.
Tacoma bound
Mariners are trying to corner the market on the end of the all-time baseball register. They already have had Tony Zych (DEAD last) and Mike Zunino on the roster; now they get Zulueta. They need to go out and get Guillo Zuniga now. Too bad Paul Zuvella isn’t playing anymore.
FYI, the M’s also had the FIRST name on the all-time baseball register: David Aardsma (just ahead of Hank Aaron).
M’s beat me to the punch; they signed Zuniga back in September!
Don’t forget former GM Jack Z.!
The M’s love those relievers with a 100 MPH fast ball. They will work on his off speed stuff and turn him into Andres Munoz.
Good luck. They need to work on movement and location first.
Minor league pitcher Dusty Revis will be going to Cincinnati in the deal.
That rounds out the pitching for better or worse. Now who can they get to hit the ball? Oh yeah they have a couple of guys in the minors both with injury histories. Look at the Jays loading up, do you suppose a repeat for them?
Cool name.
Well the Mariners have an incredible track record of turning projects like this into high leverage relievers. Sewald, Bazardo, Brash, Muñoz, Wilhelmson, Thornton, Snider ect….so wouldnt surprised if this guy becomes a very valuable asset.