The Mariners are getting an enormous arm again within the bullpen, as they introduced Monday that right-hander Gregory Santos has been reinstated from the 60-day injured checklist. Seattle already had an open 40-man spot to accommodate the transfer, and righty Emerson Hancock was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to open a spot on the energetic 26-man roster.
Acquired from the White Sox in an offseason commerce sending outfielder Zach DeLoach, righty Prelander Berroa and a Aggressive Stability (Spherical B) draft decide again to Chicago, Santos has but to throw a pitch with the Mariners. The proper-hander suffered a lat pressure in spring coaching an has spent the complete yr up to now on the injured checklist. The 24-year-old tossed a pair of shutout innings throughout a minor league rehab stint, fanning two of his seven opponents with out issuing a stroll. That was adequate for the Mariners to activate him.
Final yr with the White Sox, Santos broke out with 66 1/3 innings of three.39 ERA ball. For a pitcher who’d been designated for task by the Giants and flipped to the Sox for minor league righty Kade McClure, it was an surprising improvement and one of many few vivid spots in an in any other case terrible 2023 marketing campaign for the ChiSox. Santos fanned a roughly common 22.8% of his opponents, turned in an impressive 5.9% stroll charge and saved the ball on the bottom at a really robust 52.5% clip — all whereas averaging 98.8 mph on his sinker.
In buying Santos, the Mariners hoped to be touchdown 5 years of a premium reliever to pair with standout nearer Andres Munoz and flamethrowing setup stud Matt Brash. That plan hasn’t come to fruition. Brash received’t pitch this season after present process Tommy John surgical procedure in early Could. Santos will make his Mariners debut within the coming days. Munoz has been wonderful (1.50 ERA, 30.3% strikeout charge, 14 saves), however the setup bridge to him has been dealt with by spring signee Ryne Stanek, 2023 deadline acquisition Trent Thornton and offseason signee Austin Voth. Santos won’t leap proper into the combo as the highest setup choice, however he ought to be pitching in high-leverage spots earlier than terribly lengthy, as long as he stays wholesome.
