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Mariners Activate Gregory Santos From 60-Day Injured List

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The Mariners are getting a big arm back in the bullpen, as they announced Monday that right-hander Gregory Santos has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Seattle already had an open 40-man spot to accommodate the move, and righty Emerson Hancock was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to open a spot on the active 26-man roster.

Acquired from the White Sox in an offseason trade sending outfielder Zach DeLoach, righty Prelander Berroa and a Competitive Balance (Round B) draft pick back to Chicago, Santos has yet to throw a pitch with the Mariners. The right-hander suffered a lat strain in spring training an has spent the entire year to this point on the injured list. The 24-year-old tossed a pair of shutout innings during a minor league rehab stint, fanning two of his seven opponents without issuing a walk. That was sufficient for the Mariners to activate him.

Last year with the White Sox, Santos broke out with 66 1/3 innings of 3.39 ERA ball. For a pitcher who’d been designated for assignment by the Giants and flipped to the Sox for minor league righty Kade McClure, it was an unexpected development and one of the few bright spots in an otherwise awful 2023 campaign for the ChiSox. Santos fanned a roughly average 22.8% of his opponents, turned in an outstanding 5.9% walk rate and kept the ball on the ground at a very strong 52.5% clip — all while averaging 98.8 mph on his sinker.

In acquiring Santos, the Mariners hoped to be landing five years of a premium reliever to pair with standout closer Andres Munoz and flamethrowing setup stud Matt Brash. That plan hasn’t come to fruition. Brash won’t pitch this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early May. Santos will make his Mariners debut in the coming days. Munoz has been excellent (1.50 ERA, 30.3% strikeout rate, 14 saves), but the setup bridge to him has been handled by spring signee Ryne Stanek, 2023 deadline acquisition Trent Thornton and offseason signee Austin Voth. Santos might not jump right into the mix as the top setup option, but he should be pitching in high-leverage spots before terribly long, so long as he remains healthy.

Julio Rodriguez’s MRI Comes Back Clean

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TODAY: Rodriguez’s testing came back clean, Servais told reporters (including Jude) this afternoon. Rodriguez isn’t in todays lineup but Servais nonetheless noted that Rodriguez will be fine and is “just a little sore” after the minor issues he’s dealt with in recent days.

July 6: Mariners youngster Julio Rodriguez exited this evening’s game against the Blue Jays in the first inning due to a quad injury. As noted by Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, Rodriguez “felt something” in his lower right quad during pregame warm-ups and was pulled from the game before taking his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning. The severity of the issue is not currently known, but manager Scott Servais told reporters (including Jude) that Rodriguez is set to undergo an MRI exam later this evening. Rodriguez himself indicated to reporters (including Daniel Kramer of MLB.com) after the game that he “should be” okay despite the issue, but declined to comment further.

It’s not the first injury scare Rodriguez has had in recent days. Rodriguez fouled a ball off his knee during yesterday’s game against Toronto and was tended to by the team’s trainer after jamming his thumb while making a diving catch on Thursday. Given those recent bumps and bruises, it would have been understandable for the Mariners to decide on giving Rodriguez a day off, but the fact that he began the game in the lineup and exited before even taking an at-bat is surely worrisome for Mariners fans.

The 23-year-old phenom burst onto the scene with a dominant rookie campaign that earned him a top-10 finish in AL MVP voting, the AL Rookie of the Year award, and a massive contract extension back in 2022. He followed that performance up with a strong 2023 campaign where he started slow but started to heat up in the second half of the season, earning himself a fourth-place finish in AL MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien. Overall, the youngster entered the 2024 season with an excellent .279/.338/.495 slash line for his career in the big leagues, made all the more impressive when combined with his strong defense in center field and his 62-for-79 record on the basepaths.

The 2024 season has been a difficult one for Rodriguez, however. While he got off to a slow start in 2024, he generally kept his overall slash line in the vicinity of league average throughout those struggles. One year ago today, the youngster was hitting .251/.312/.416 with a 104 wRC+. Even that performance would be a substantial improvement over the numbers Rodriguez has posted in his age-23 season. Through 89 games this season, Rodriguez has hit just .247/.295/.355 with a wRC+ of 85, 15% worse than league average. While his strong baserunning (18-for-20 on the bases) and defense at a premium position have helped to make up for that lack of production on offense, the 23-year-old has been closer to a quality regular than a perennial MVP candidate this year.

Now it seems possible that any attempt by Rodriguez to recreate his otherworldly second half from last year, when he slashed an incredible .321/.366/.615 in his final 61 games, could be put on hold if the youngster ends up requiring a trip to the IL. That would be a crushing development for a Mariners club that is holding onto a tenuous lead over the Astros, who are trailing Seattle by just two games, in the AL West. The club has won just five of its last 16 games thanks in part to an anemic offense that has slashed just .190/.273/.310 with a 72 wRC+ over that time, hitting better than only the lowly Marlins among all MLB clubs.

If the Mariners were to lose Rodriguez for a significant period, it would only serve to further escalate the pressure on the club to add offense in advance of the trade deadline at the end of the month. Multiple reports in recent weeks have indicated that the club plans to be aggressive in revamping its offense this summer, and that need would only become more pronounced if Rodriguez were to require a stay of any notable length on the injured list. Should the Mariners end up needing to explore options for help in center field, players such as White Sox star Luis Robert Jr. and Marlins youngster Jazz Chisholm Jr. figure to be available this summer, though players of that caliber with multiple years of team control typically come with a hefty price tag.

Mariners Designate Seby Zavala For Assignment

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The Mariners announced that catcher Seby Zavala has been designated for assignment.  In the corresponding move, right-hander Emerson Hancock has been called back up from Triple-A to start today’s game against the Blue Jays.  Zavala’s DFA also creates an opening on Seattle’s 40-man roster.

This is the second time in the last three weeks that Zavala has been designated, and his previous trip to DFA limbo saw him clear waivers and then outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.  Because Zavala had previously been outrighted in his career, he could’ve rejected that assignment and instead become a free agent, but he opted to remain with the M’s and report to Triple-A.  Zavala is out of minor league options, so Seattle has been forced to designate the catcher and thus expose him to the waiver wire in order to move him to Triple-A.

Zavala could very well pursue the same path this time around, given that the Mariners selected his contract back onto the 26-man roster in pretty short order after his previous outright.  That move (just earlier this week) came after Mitch Garver was dealing with a sore wrist, and thus the Mariners wanted some extra catching depth if Garver was strictly limited to DH duties or perhaps needed to visit the injured list.  Since Garver appears to be okay, the M’s apparently now feel comfortable enough with the situation to again remove Zavala from their 40-man.

With Cal Raleigh handling the starting catcher duties and Garver also getting some part-time work behind the plate, Zavala has gotten into just 18 games this season, and is hitting .154/.214/.282 over 43 plate appearances.  Even considering that Zavala is known as a defensive specialist, the Mariners have decided to go with the bat-first approach with their catching corps, which isn’t surprising given how Seattle has been hurting for offense all season.

As for Hancock, he is set to make his ninth start of the season after delivering a 4.79 ERA in his first 41 1/3 innings of the season.  The former top prospect has gotten another look with Bryan Woo on the 15-day IL, but since Woo is expected back relatively soon, Saturday’s outing will likely be just a spot start for Hancock.  It could also potentially be an unofficial audition for potential trade suitors, if the Mariners look to deal from their rotation depth to upgrade their lineup at the deadline.

AL West Notes: Tucker, Verlander, Bloss, Woo, Jung

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Astros manager Joe Espada offered a disappointing, if not entirely surprising, injury update regarding two of his biggest stars. Speaking to reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) ahead of today’s contest in Toronto, the skipper acknowledged that neither Kyle Tucker nor Justin Verlander is likely to return from the IL before the All-Star break.

Tucker has not played since June 3 as he nurses a right shin contusion he suffered when he fouled a ball off his leg. In mid-June, Espada suggested that Tucker would likely require a minor league rehab assignment. With the All-Star break fast approaching and the outfielder yet to begin any on-field work (per Kawahara), it’s hard to imagine he makes it back before the break. The Astros would surely like to have Tucker back as soon as possible, but they have played surprisingly well in their best hitter’s absence. Making sure that he’s healthy for the stretch run is more important than rushing him back in July.

Meanwhile, Verlander has not pitched since June 9; he is dealing with neck discomfort. He is progressing well, but Espada says the future Hall of Famer has not yet gotten back to throwing off a mound. Once again, the Astros could certainly use the veteran in their injury-plagued rotation ASAP, but rushing him back would be a shortsighted move with so much season left to play.

Another point of interest concerning Verlander: As Kawahara notes, it is now extremely unlikely that his conditional $35MM player option for 2025 will be triggered. Even if the 41-year-old were to return immediately after the All-Star break and pitch once every five games for the rest of the season, he would need to average 6 1/3 innings per start to reach the necessary 140 innings pitched.

Finally, Espada also mentioned that rookie Jake Bloss will make a rehab start this weekend. Barring any setbacks, the young righty could make his next start in Houston. Bloss, 23, is generally considered one of the Astros’ better pitching prospects. He landed on the IL with shoulder discomfort on June 21, the same day that he made his MLB debut.

More injury updates from around the AL West:

  • Rangers manager Bruce Bochy offered reporters an update on Josh Jung, who has been on the IL almost all season. The All-Star third baseman fractured his wrist on a hit-by-pitch on April 1. Jung has recently been nursing a flare-up of discomfort in his injured wrist and has not swung a bat since his last rehab game on June 20 (per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com). However, he has no further structural damage. The Rangers are going to shut him down completely for another week, after which they hope he’ll be able to restart his rehab assignment (per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today). Needless to say, this means Jung will not be ready to return to Arlington before the All-Star break.
  • In more positive news, the Mariners aren’t ready to rule out the possibility that Bryan Woo could return to their rotation ahead of the Midsummer Classic. He threw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday (per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com) and will make a rehab start this weekend. If all goes well in that outing, there’s a chance he could make his next start for Seattle. Woo, 24, has pitched exceptionally well in his sophomore season, with a 1.77 ERA in eight starts. Not all of his underlying numbers are quite as eye-catching (4.01 SIERA, 3.96 xFIP), but there’s no doubt the Mariners would like to have the young hurler back as soon as possible to see more of what he’s capable of.

Mariners Claim Duke Ellis From Mets

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The Mariners announced that they have claimed outfielder Duke Ellis off waivers from the Mets and sent him to Triple-A Tacoma. The latter club had designated him for assignment recently. The Mariners already had a vacancy on their 40-man, which is now full.

Ellis, 26, had never appeared on a 40-man roster until a month ago but has now been on three of them in that time. The White Sox selected him on June 4 and he has since bounced to the Mets and now Mariners via waiver claims.

The interest is largely due to his wheels. In his 968 minor league plate appearances, he has a batting line of .241/.329/.333, which translates to an 88 wRC+. However, he stole 117 bases in 134 tries during that time. While he was briefly in the big leagues with the White Sox, he swiped four bags in four tries.

Such players can often carve out roles on contending clubs, particularly with expanded rosters in September. A key pinch running opportunity late in a game can often be the difference between a win and a loss. That’s especially true in the age of the free runner in extra innings.

The Mariners had an open roster spot, so there’s little harm in them grabbing Ellis for now. He can take some at-bats in Tacoma, though perhaps they will try to pass him through waivers at some point down the line or call him up to take advantage of his speed.

Mariners Select Seby Zavala, Sign Chris Devenski

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The Mariners announced that they have selected the contract of catcher Seby Zavala, with left-hander Jhonathan Díaz optioned to Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move. Additionally, the M’s have signed right-hander Chris Devenski to a major league contract, though Devenski will report to Tacoma. Seattle had three vacancies on their 40-man roster coming into today, so their count is now at 39.

Zavala, 30, was acquired as part of the Eugenio Suárez trade back in November. He was used as a glove-first backup catcher for a while with Cal Raleigh getting the bulk of the playing time. The M’s had also signed Mitch Garver but with the idea of using him primarily as a designated hitter, though Garver started playing behind the plate more as the season wore on.

That left just 43 plate appearances for Zavala through the middle of June. He hit .154/.214/.282 in that limited time while striking out at a 37.2% rate. As Garver started donning the tools of ignorance, Zavala was designated for assignment and outrighted off the roster. He had the right to elect free agency at that time but stuck with the M’s and is now back in the bigs.

His selection is likely due to Garver’s status, as he was hit by a pitch on his right wrist on Sunday. He was catching that game with Raleigh in the DH slot, but Raleigh moved behind the plate in the third inning as Garver departed, leaving the M’s to play without a DH for the rest of the game.

Per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com on X, Garver is feeling better but still sore and is “going to go feel it out,” in Garver’s words. Since he is seemingly unavailable, at least for a few days, the club was going to be left with just Raleigh and no backup catcher, which prompted Zavala’s return. Once Garver is healthy, Zavala might get squeezed out again since he is out of options.

Devenski, 33, was just released by the Rays last week but has quickly landed a new gig. As a veteran with more than five years of service time, he can’t be optioned to the minors without his consent. Since the M’s announced that he will report to Tacoma, perhaps he has given his consent, unless that’s just an on-paper move until he reports to the club.

The righty was having a rough season with the Rays, tossing 26 2/3 innings with 6.75 earned runs allowed per nine. His 19.7% strikeout rate and 11.5% walk rate were both below average, leading Tampa to cut him loose.

The M’s clearly have some kind of idea for getting him back on track. He was once a dominant reliever with the Astros, throwing 189 innings with that club over 2016 and 2017 with a 2.35 ERA, 28.2% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate. But he struggled in the following years and missed time due to injuries, including Tommy John surgery. He had a 4.56 ERA over 2018 and 2019 and then a 9.47 ERA from 2020 to 2022.

He seemed to show a bit of life last year, with 42 1/3 innings between the Angels and Rays. He had a 4.46 ERA in that time, as well as a 24.3% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate. The Rays were encouraged enough to bring him back for 2024 with a $1.1MM guarantee, in the form of a $1MM salary this year and $100K buyout on a 2025 option.

But now that Devenski has been released, the Rays are left on the hook for that money. The M’s will only owe him the prorated version of the major league minimum for any time spent on the roster, with that amount subtracted from what the Rays pay.

The M’s have taken some hits in their bullpen this year, with each of Matt Brash, Gregory Santos, Jackson Kowar and Gabe Speier currently on the injured list, with Brash and Kowar done for the year due to Tommy John surgery. There’s little harm on taking a low-cost flier on Devenski to see if he can help make up for those losses by returning to form.

Matt Bowman Opts Out Of Deal With Mariners

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Reliever Matt Bowman exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Mariners, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (X link). Seattle granted him his release rather than call him to the MLB bullpen.

That sends Bowman back to free agency, a fairly common occurrence over the past few weeks. He decided to test the open market after successive designations by the Diamondbacks and Mariners. Bowman inked minor league deals with Seattle both times. He was called to the majors once during his first stint but didn’t get a call since signing his most recent contract a couple weeks ago. The 33-year-old sinkerballer has pitched six times with Triple-A Tacoma over the last two weeks, surrendering four runs through eight innings.

Bowman had fired six innings without allowing an earned run for the Twins’ top affiliate in April. He has surrendered five runs (four earned) with 18 strikeouts and three walks across 16 Triple-A frames on the season. He hasn’t matched that at the major league level, where he has given up nine runs with a 10:7 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 15 frames.

It has been a few years since Bowman held down a long-term stop in a major league bullpen. He’s putting together a second straight solid Triple-A campaign after turning in a 3.99 ERA with a 51.9% ground-ball rate in 49 appearances for the Yankees’ top affiliate a year ago. Bowman should quickly land another minor league contract now that he’s again on the free agent market.

Mariners Notes: Garver, Santos, Speier

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The Mariners had an injury scare this evening as catcher Mitch Garver was strike in the wrist by a pitch from Twins right-hander Joe Ryan during this afternoon’s game and exited with what Seattle termed a right wrist contusion. As noted by MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, manager Scott Servais told reporters after the game that x-rays on Garver’s wrist came back negative, but that the club doesn’t plan on making a decision about next steps regarding the 33-year-old until Tuesday given the club has tomorrow off.

Garver came to the Mariners on a two-year, $26MM deal over the offseason. The longtime catcher had gradually seen more and more of his time come at DH during his tenure with the Rangers and joined Seattle ticketed for a regular role at DH while occasionally spelling Raleigh behind the plate as well. Things haven’t exactly gone according to plan for Garver half a season into his Mariners tenure, however, as he’s slashed just .172/.291/.353 in 71 games this year. While he’s hit for decent power and walked at an excellent 13.5% clip, the combination of a massive 30.9% strikeout rate and his deflated .214 BABIP have left him below average overall with a wRC+ of just 90. That’s certainly passable production from a catcher, but far more is to be expected from a player who is essentially being paid to be a full-time DH.

The potential injury comes as a particularly frustrating time for the Mariners as Garver had begun to heat up in the month of June. In 91 trips to the plate this month entering play tonight, Garver had slashed a much more palatable .187/.319/.453 with a 122 wRC+. That improved production is generally backed up by solid peripherals, as well; Garver’s strikeout rate, while still elevated, has dipped to a more manageable 28.6% this month, and he’s walked at an enormous 16.5% clip. A BABIP of just .200 suggests that further positive regression could be in store for Garver, though it now seems possible that will have to wait depending on how much his wrist heals in the coming days.

Even in the event that Garver requires only a few days off, it’s possible the Mariners will look to make some sort of short-term roster move. After all, he and Raleigh are the only two catchers on the club’s active roster, meaning the club could be forced into a tough situation if Raleigh were to get hurt while Garver is down. The Mariners have Seby Zavala and Michael Perez as depth catching options at Triple-A, though neither is currently on the club’s 40-man roster.

In more positive Mariners news, a pair of key relievers appear to be making their way towards a return to action. Adam Jude of The Seattle Times relayed recently that, according to GM Justin Hollander, right-hander Gregory Santos is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Tuesday. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Injury Tracker notes that lefty Gabe Speier is set to throw a bullpen session that same day.

The impending return of the two hurlers is excellent news for the Mariners. Santos, in particular, figured to handle late-inning duties for the club alongside closer Andres Munoz and veteran set-up man Ryne Stanek after the club swung a trade with the White Sox to acquire him just before the start of Spring Training. Unfortunately, that deal has yet to bear fruit as Santos has been sidelined the entire season to this point after suffering a lat strain in mid-March. He could prove to be an impactful arm for the Mariners in leverage situations once healthy enough to take the mound in the big leagues, however, as shown by his 3.39 ERA and 2.65 FIP in 66 1/3 innings of work with Chicago last year.

As for Speier, the lefty has missed the past month with rotator cuff issues but was in the midst of a frustrating 2024 season prior to his injury. In 22 appearances with Seattle this year, the lefty has struggled to a 6.06 ERA in spite of peripheral numbers that remain mostly solid. Speier has struck out a strong 29.3% of batters faced this year but has dealt with some poor fortune on batted balls and sequencing, as demonstrated by an elevated .325 BABIP allowed and an unsustainable strand rate of just 61.3%, far below the typical 70-75% range for the average hurler.

Not all of Speier’s struggles have been self-inflicted, of course; the lefty has allowed free passes at a worrying 13.3% clip this year, a massive change from the 5.1% walk rate he posted with the Mariners last season when he posted a 3.79 ERA and 3.35 FIP in 69 games. The Mariners will surely be hoping that’s the version of Speier they get back once he’s healthy enough to return, which MLB.com suggests is unlikely to be until after the All Star break.

Mariners Reportedly Seeking Everyday Bat, Relief Help On Trade Market

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The Mariners have gotten off to a strong start this season with a 47-38 record that places them firmly in the driver’s seat of the AL West division race, 4.5 games ahead of the second place Astros. Given that solid position in the standings as the second half gets underway, it’s hardly surprising that Seattle plans to add to their team ahead of the trade deadline, which is scheduled for exactly one month from today on July 30. Reporting last week indicated that the Mariners plan to be “aggressive” in improving their offense this summer, and today a report from MLBNetwork’s Jon Morosi added additional details regarding the club’s plans. Per Morosi, the Mariners have already begun exploring possible trades with other clubs and are currently prioritizing the addition of one everyday hitter, as well as help in the bullpen.

It’s certainly sensible for Seattle to look for upgrades in those areas. Despite their solid record, the club has not generated much offense this year, ranking 21st in the majors with a 94 wRC+ that’s identical to that of the lowly Athletics. Perhaps most concerning for a club that actively attempted to add more contact-oriented bats to their offense over the winter is the fact that they lead the majors with a 27.9% strikeout rate while getting on base at a clip of just .298, sixth from the bottom among all clubs.

The Mariners will surely be relying on internal improvements to spark the offense on at least some level with key pieces like Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, and J.P. Crawford hitting far below expectations, but even assuming core players like that trio remain in everyday roles there’s still plenty of room for the club to improve externally. Of the club’s 11 hitters with at least 100 trips to the plate under their belts this year, only Josh Rojas, Dylan Moore, and Luke Raley have posted a wRC+ more than 5% better than league average. Even then, Moore is a part-time player who has started just 17 of the club’s 27 games this month while Rojas has slashed just .230/.283/.323 after a scorching hot April.

Given the extreme dearth of offensive impact all over the roster, the Mariners shouldn’t be limited to any specific position in their search for offensive upgrades. Raleigh and Mitch Garver figure to continue serving as the club’s tandem behind the plate, Rodriguez figures to continue manning center field, and Crawford figures to remain at shortstop, but there’s plenty of flexibility elsewhere on the roster to accommodate an impactful offensive addition. It’s easy, for example, to imagine Seattle making room for White Sox veteran Tommy Pham and his 112 wRC+ alongside Raley, Mitch Haniger, and Dominic Canzone in their corner outfield mix, and as more teams inevitably make the decision to sell as the deadline approaches, it’s at least possible to imagine higher-profile players such as Cody Bellinger of the Cubs, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays, or Brandon Lowe of the Rays becoming available.

The bullpen, on the other hand, isn’t in quite as dire a situation in Seattle as the offense is. The club’s relievers rank 15th in the majors with a 3.86 ERA, but more advanced metrics like FIP (12th), xFIP (8th), and SIERA (7th) all indicate that the Mariners’ relief corps is stronger than that middling performance would otherwise indicate. That’s thanks in no small part to the fact that they’ve struck out a whopping 25.1% of batters faced this year, good for fourth among all MLB clubs. Seattle also benefits from having the freshest group of bullpen arms in the majors; no team has leaned on their relievers less often than the Mariners, who have only drawn 254 innings of work from their entire bullpen.

That said, virtually any contender can benefit from adding depth to their bullpen mix, and the Mariners are no exception. That’s particularly true given the rash of injuries the club’s relievers have faced in the first half. Back-end arms Matt Brash, Gregory Santos, and Gabe Speier have all missed significant time this year. While Santos and Speier both still figure to contribute this year, Brash is now expected to miss the entire campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery last month.

Giving manager Scott Servais another quality option to pair with Andres Munoz and Ryne Stanek in the late innings, particularly one that throws from the left side, would make plenty of sense for the Mariners. Marlins lefty Tanner Scott is likely to be the best lefty bullpen arm available this summer, but T.J. McFarland of the A’s, Matt Moore of the Angels, and Andrew Chafin of the Tigers are among the other pieces who could potentially be available in the coming weeks.

Brewers Acquire Dallas Keuchel From Mariners

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The Brewers have acquired left-hander Dallas Keuchel from the Mariners, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on X. The M’s will receive cash considerations in return, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com on X. The lefty was with the M’s on a minor league deal and not on the 40-man roster, meaning he won’t immediately need a 40-man spot with the Brewers.

Keuchel, 36, signed a minors deal with the Mariners and has made 13 Triple-A starts on the year to this point. He has allowed 3.93 earned runs per nine innings, despite pitching in the hitter-friendly environs of the Pacific Coast League. His 15.6% strikeout rate on the year is subpar but he’s always succeeded by limiting walks and keeping the ball on the ground, which has been the case again this year. He has a 7.6% walk rate and 59.5% ground ball rate for the Rainiers.

That’s generally been the recipe for Keuchel in his career, as he has thrown 1625 2/3 innings with a 4.02 ERA, 18.1% strikeout rate, 7.4% walk rate and 57.7% ground ball rate. At his peak, he won the 2015 American League Cy Young by posting a 2.48 ERA with the Astros, but his results have tailed off since then. He has a 6.29 ERA since the start of 2021, bouncing to the White Sox, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Twins in that time.

Those lesser results of late are why he had to settle for a minor league deal and why he may not have been able to crack Seattle’s rotation. They may lose Bryan Woo to the injured list, as he departed last night’s start with some hamstring tightness. But even if Woo is bound for the IL, the Mariners have a rotation consisting of Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller, with Emerson Hancock and Jhonathan Díaz candidates to come up and replace Woo.

The Brewers, however, have far more motivation for taking a shot on a veteran like Keuchel. They knew coming into the season that Brandon Woodruff would have to spend the whole season on the injured list recovering from shoulder surgery, but he has since been given plenty of company on the IL. Wade Miley and Robert Gasser both required UCL surgery and are also out for the year, while guys like Joe Ross and DL Hall are on the shelf due to other issues. Jakob Junis has been reinstated from the IL but has been working in relief.

That has left Milwaukee with a fairly patchwork rotation behind Freddy Peralta. The club moved Bryse Wilson from the bullpen to a starting role and he has a passable 4.24 ERA but less impressive peripherals. Colin Rea is similar, as he’s a 33-year-old journeyman with a 3.62 ERA on the year despite a tepid 15.6% strikeout rate. Tobias Myers and Carlos Rodríguez are both in their debut seasons and have limited experience. Rodríguez has a 7.30 ERA while Myers is at 3.12, though the underlying numbers suggest that performance from Myers may not be sustainable.

It’s far easier to see Keuchel slotting into that mix than the one in Seattle, so the Mariners have pocketed some cash and let him pursue an opportunity with the Brewers. Despite the rotation challenges, the Brewers are atop the National League Central, five games clear of the Cardinals, and could use some veteran stability between now and perhaps making further moves at the trade deadline.

If Milwaukee plans to add Keuchel to their roster, they will need to make a corresponding move, though that shouldn’t be a problem. As mentioned, Gasser is out for the year but he has not yet been transferred to the 60-day IL, so that’s an easy way for the Brewers to open a spot.

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