The Mariners aren’t favorites to push for a playoff spot in 2021, but if they’re in contention during the season, making a deal for a controllable starting pitcher is “definitely” something they would consider, general manager Jerry Dipoto told MLB Network Radio on Monday. Dipoto, who’s never shy about making trades, said Seattle would “jump at” the chance to better its rotation if the opportunity presents itself. The Mariners are slated to begin the season with Marco Gonzales, James Paxton, Yusei Kikuchi and Justus Sheffield as locks in a southpaw-heavy group of six, while righty Chris Flexen will take up a spot and Nick Margevicius and Justin Dunn are competing for the last position.
- Giants left-hander Alex Wood is dealing with a stiff back and will visit a spine specialist, Kerry Crowley of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. It’s troubling news for Wood, whom injuries have slowed in the past, including during the previous two seasons. Wood threw just 35 2/3 innings as a Red in 2019 while battling back problems and then totaled only 12 2/3 frames last year as a Dodger on account of shoulder issues. The Giants nonetheless signed Wood to a $3MM guarantee, and if he’s healthy, he’s expected to occupy a spot in their rotation. For now, though, it looks as if the Giants’ season-opening starting staff will consist of Kevin Gausman, Johnny Cueto, Anthony DeSclafani, Aaron Sanchez and Logan Webb.
- More unwelcome news for the Giants’ pitching staff, per Crowley, who reports that right-hander Dedniel Nunez sprained the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow and will go for a second opinion. San Francisco took the 24-year-old from the Mets in last December’s Rule 5 Draft, but the Giants could elect to cut ties with Nunez in the event of a serious injury.
- Outfielder/infielder Jorge Mateo is in good position to earn a roster spot with the Padres, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com writes. Mateo, who’s competing against Brian O’Grady and Jorge Ona for a bench role, joined the Padres in a trade with the Athletics last June and went on to make his major league debut. The former top 100 prospect hit a weak .154/.185/.269 without a home run during that stretch, however, and with no minor league options remaining, it could be a make-or-break spring training if he’s going to stick with the Padres.
- The Angels announced that righty Felix Pena departed their game Monday with right hamstring irritation. There haven’t been further updates on Pena’s status. Since his first year with the Angels in 2018, Pena has eaten up plenty of innings (215 2/3) and pitched to a 4.34 ERA. He finished third among Angels relievers with 26 2/3 frames last year.
Wood is hurt ? Shocker , he’ll throw 40 innings this year and he will have a guarantee deal next year
If he throws 40 effective innings this year he’ll still be worth the contract.
Hilarious
Big “if”. Dodgers knew about his back problems, and that’s not Woods only challenge. I like Wood I wish him the best of luck, he’ll need it.
He is on a 1 yr/3 mil deal. If he resigns, it will be a minors deal, probably not a guarantee deal
Oh man, there goes the high likelihood that the Giants will win the WS this year. Bummer!
This is the downside of an entire rotation with injury history like the Giants’ is. Giants are now going to have to hope that Logan Webb can be a replacement level pitcher. I wanted Zaidi to go get Odorizzi and I wonder if he’s sorry he didn’t now.
Aaron Sanchez is a Giant? When did that happen?
February 21, 2021.
Blisters by mid may
Alex wood is chronic injured, dude should change his name to alex glass.
Boooooo! Your jokes are bad and you should feel bad!
Sounds like you’re the one who licks glass.
Wood is nasty when healthy and looked the part last postseason. Hopefully he gets healthy soon.
This is why I don’t understand how the baseball business works , GM will give a non-guarantee deal to some guys that had a good season the year before but just Bc they are throwing 2 miles per hour slower they are “concern” about it , but then , they’ll give a guarantee contract to a guy that is always hurt ( u knew he’ll get hurt this spring training ) and I’m sure he will get another guarantee deal next year !
Wood is not at a stage of his career where it’s time for minor league deals. The smartest front office in baseball acquired him twice so he clearly has the stuff to be a decent back end starter. There is no such thing as a bad 1 year deal.
Alex Wood’s first half in 2017 was so good, he has teams like the Giants completely enthralled (at least $3M worth of enthrallment) and believing he can do it again. not likely…
I do wonder if Mike Foltynewicz is going to be traded at the deadline. His velocity is back and he looks just like he did in 2018. I know it’s early in ST still, but I’m not even concerned about the results (though they’ve been terrific), I’m just worried about seeing changes in his style that show improvements.
Well the Rangers are going to suck so I’m going to say….yeah he’s gonna be traded if he’s even close to league average.
He could be but don’t be expecting anything of value for him. Every team passed on him when he was DFA.
Every team passed on him because they didn’t know if his velocity would regain.
The reason he didn’t have good velo in 2020 was because he couldn’t properly train during Covid and lost a ton of weight. He has since gotten back into shape, and he’s good again.
I bet any team would be willing to take on his services if he showed to be in great form again come the deadline.
Worth at least a lottery ticket if he’s healthy.
10/1 Pena needs TJ. How could he not.
It’s a hamstring injury. How does that correlate to an injured UCL?
Hope Pena is back fully healthy. He’s looked a lot better since moving to the bullpen. And our bullpen will be taxed this year.
J.J. Rivera looked good. I really hopes he makes the team. I’d hate to lose him.for the likes of Claudio or Guerra.
We know
Cook. So after months of being wrong you finally know something. That’s excellent.
He’s only botching b squad. That ain’t a good sign.
bk…
I know, it’s not a good sign.
I really think the Angels are pretty good, In this market, I can’t believe how poorly they handled the bullpen.
I think almost every Angel fan has noticed. Some stubborn fans still don’t understand why you don’t sign Claudio in December, but as I wrote, most fans get it.
Dipoto willing to trade for a starter? They need a no. 1 or no. 2 type. Gilbert will be up later in the year. I suspect Paxton isn’t ready to take the innings load of a no. 2 pitcher. They’d have to trade Dunn or Margevicius.
German Marquez. That’s the comment.
Sure, I’d trade for Marquez. Not Gilbert, Hancock, Kelenic, JRod, or any of the top 10 prospects, except for Fraley.
Rangers29- are you saying Dipoto specifically mentioned Germain Marquez in the article/interview? I find it hard to believe that Dipoto is talking about a trade for Marquez. Don’t get me wrong, as a Mariners fan I’d love Marquez in Seattle. It’s just really out of character for Jerry to name a player they might target.
Mlbfan- Can you imagine Dipoto telling the frustrated M’s fan base he’s trading away one or two of his top prospects after he’s made them watch 3 years of losing baseball? I just can’t see any of those 4 players being traded- he’s targeted all 4 of those players to become building blocks of the future. They’re not going anywhere
ayrbhoy, from your lips to Dipoto’s ears.
Remember the Angels?
Who? 😉
From that Danny Glover movie.
I know it’s just Spring Training, but Mateo has looked good so far. He’d have earned it if he makes the team.
Kerry Crowley isn’t NBC Sports Bay Area, he’s from the Mercury News
Mateo went 2 for 4 today with a no doubter HR to raise his BA to .393
O Grady looked good today too. Padres are deep.
O’Grady has options. He will probably end up in AAA until there is an injury.
Yeah I know. He’ll probably be back up at some point this spring.or early summer.
Pretty selfish of Wood. Spine specialists should be left free to help certain Senators instead of enabling frivolous activities like baseball..
Clever
DiPoto is always “thinking outside of the box” to get an edge…..but he’s been running things in Seattle since 2015. When does all that genius and activity need to start translating to actual success on the field?
The Mariners have posted seasons of 89 and 86 wins since Jerry Dipoto’s arrival in Seattle (while the Angels have suffered five straight losing seasons, a dubious feat the M’s have not accomplished in the past 30 years).
Last year with baseball youngest Opening Day roster, the Mariners finished with the ninth-best record in league that sent eight teams to the postseason. Seattle has added James Paxton, Rafael Montero and Keynan Middleton while losing little more than Dee Strange-Gordon.
Despite graduating four former Top 100 prospects last year, the Mariners still have seven prospects ranked on at least one Top 100 list this year, including Top 10 prospects in outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez.
The genius should translate to on-field success in the next two years.
Or not.
Muskie73: “The Mariners have posted seasons of 89 and 86 wins since Jerry Dipoto’s arrival in Seattle”
So, in five seasons, DiPoto has gotten slightly over .500 twice with no playoff appearances?
He does make a lot of creative moves, I’ll give him that. But it seems like a lot of hocus pocus if it doesn’t translate to success on the field.
Dipoto was given a team with heavy salaries and aging stars. He made a run at it with the hand he was dealt. Once it was obvious that wasn’t going to work he went into rebuild. He appears to be on schedule for when the Mariners will be competitive and making the playoffs. That target is 2022, but I wouldn’t surprised to see that turning into a late run this this year.
If 2022 is a flop and the Mariners are either behind schedule or way off course they should consider moving on or keeping a very close eye on 2023.
If Dipoto was the one that engineered the Robinson Cano fleecing of the Mets then he should be awarded Executive-of-the-Year retroactively and going forward for the rest of Cano’s contract…
Seriously. Think about getting rid of Cano alone, even having to pay some of the contract. We could have given the Mets Cano, some money and said thanks and it was a fleece. The rest just seems like Dipoto molested the Mets.
Unless the Mariner’s are in the thick of a post season spot, I doubt Jerry would add a starter that doesn’t have at least 2 to 3 years club control.