Mariners reliever Hunter Strickland is “100% ready” for Wednesday’s Tokyo opener against the Athletics after being sidelined with back issues since March 3, per MLB.com’s Greg Johns. The high-strung Strickland, now 30, will apparently get first crack at the closer’s role for the new-look Mariners, who signed the righty to a one-year, $1.3MM deal after he was non-tendered by the Giants ahead of the November 30 deadline. After eight years in the minors, the then 25-year-old Strickland came out blowing smoke for the 2014 World Champion Giants, dominating early with a fastball that reached 100 mph on the regular. Multiple on-field dustups, including well-publicized boxing matches with both longtime nemesis Bryce Harper and a clubhouse wall, likely spelled the end for Strickland in San Francisco. After a 2015-17 stretch in which the 6’4 righty posted identical 0.8 fWAR totals with a K rate hovering around 8.5 per nine, Strickland endured his worst season in ’18, struggling to throw strikes, miss bats, and keep the ball in the park. His average fastball velocity, too, fell to a career-low 95.7 MPH, while heavier dependence on a changeup resulted only in withdrawal. Still, if the flamethrower can re-stoke his early-career heat, and direct much of it toward what seemed to be an ever-shriveling strike zone, the Mariners may yet have a massive bargain on their hands.
In other news from around the game’s Western divisions…
- It’s MLB or bust for the 36-year-old Jason Hammel, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Hammel’s been excellent so far this spring, striking out over a batter per inning while allowing just a single run in 8 2/3 IP, but says he has no interest in playing for the team’s chief affiliate: “I certainly won’t go to Triple-A,” Hammel said. “This is a grind. If it requires me to go home, I know my family is waiting for me and has been for a while. I’m more than willing to go home and spend time with them.” Per Grant, it appears the 13-year MLB vet will consider other franchises if it doesn’t work out with Texas, though he doesn’t necessarily seem set on a starting gig. He’ll compete for a long-reliever role in the Ranger pen with righty Adrian Sampson, and despite a career-worst ’18 in nearly every category, looks to have the inside track.
- The Rockies have predictably sent INF Brendan Rodgers back to minor league camp, tweets MLB.com’s Thomas Harding. A consensus top 30 prospect among all five major outlets (he checks in as high as #10 on MLB.com’s list), Rodgers had an outside shot to claim the team’s second base role in the upcoming season, but the team’ll look first to either Ryan McMahon or Garrett Hampson in the spot. The 22-year-old former third overall pick has impressed evaluators with his all-fields pop, though scouts seem less keen on his glovework at shortstop and discernment at the dish. In a late-season cameo with AAA-Albuquerque last season, Rodgers slashed just .232/.264/.290 with a 1.4% walk rate. Both ZiPS and Steamer, though, prefer him to any Rockie alternatives at the position, with the former projecting an impressive 98 wRC+/2.3 WAR line over a full season’s worth of plate appearances.
If Strickland was 27 in 2014, how is he only 30 now?
Magic
He’ll be 31 in September,see the Magic of arithmetic,something they don’t teach anymore
Hey imgman, I like your posts and am just curious if you have a connection to IMG or IMG Academy? My kid plays baseball at IMG academy, and am thus curious if you have an any affiliation?
>> “Multiple on-field dustups, including well-publicized boxing matches with both longtime nemesis Bryce Harper and a clubhouse wall, likely spelled the end for Strickland in San Francisco.”
My money is on the wall.
Mariners better trade him if he has any trade value at the trade deadline. Its not if he will have a melt down but when. Giants did not bring him back because everyone hated him in the clubhouse not because of his poor year in 2018.
Not true at all. Many of his past teammates for the Giants have spoken very highly of Hunter, and his coaches have praised his work ethic and kindness as well.
We all have enemies—many who don’t “like us” as people. But “everyone hated him” is an over-exaggerated stretch by far.
I didn’t read of any players that liked him. Posey for a fact couldn’t stand the guy. When he started the fight with Harper Posey didn’t even get between him and Harper. Morse career ended short because of Strickland. So if you have knowledge of players liking him please share.
The wall won
Strickland is a 100% loser.
…Except when the Giants won the World Series, but yeah he’s a jerk
not really sure why comments like these are tolerated by MLBTR. they are personal attacks with absolutely no substance at all. does not contribute anything. very disappointing comments like this are condoned by those who run this site.
“Strickland endured his worst season in ’18, struggling to throw strikes, miss bats”
I can’t believe he both struggled to throw strikes and struggled to miss bats. What are the odds those things would happen concurrently?
Plenty of guys struggle with one but not the other. Pretty common occurrence.
Hammel has made $55M, was really bad last year, and has never exactly been a standout–he actually has a negative cumulative WAA. Sure…go with it, ML roster or bust.
Hammel has had a few good moments… being Baltimore this year…roll the dice
I don’t begrudge a 13-year major league veteran for not wanting to pitch in Triple-A at age 36. Whether he’s been a standout or not, he’s earned the right to make that determination.
It sounds to me like he’s accomplished all of the reasonable goals he had for his baseball career and has reached a point where he’d rather retire than pitch in obscurity with a bunch of kids and fellow washouts. I think that’s a pretty reasonable position to take given the circumstances.
As a Ranger fan, I’m hoping he makes the team and bounces back to his 2012-16 production levels. But in the event he doesn’t, I’ll wish him a happy post-baseball future back home with his family.
“…scouts seem less keen on his glovework at shortstop and discernment at the dish.” Always like reading Ty’s posts. Keep up the good work.
I didn’t read of any players that liked him. Posey for a fact couldn’t stand the guy. When he started the fight with Harper Posey didn’t even get between him and Harper. Morse career ended short because of Strickland. So if you have knowledge of players liking him please share.