The Mariners have promoted right-handed pitcher Emerson Hancock from Triple-A, the team announced this afternoon. To make room on the active roster, Seattle designated catcher Seby Zavala for assignment.
Hancock will take the ball this evening against the Rangers, filling in for an injured Luis Castillo. Castillo landed on the 15-day IL with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain following his start last Sunday. After officially placing Castillo on the IL on Tuesday, the Mariners did not need to add another starting pitcher to the active roster until today, so they selected Zavala’s contract instead. He did not appear in a game. Presuming Zavala passes through waivers, he will most likely accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Tacoma, considering the Mariners have already outrighted him twice this season. Indeed, this is the second time Seattle has DFA’d Zavala to make room for Hancock on the major league roster.
The 25-year-old Hancock is back for his fourth stint with the big league club this season. Over nine starts, he has pitched to a disappointing 4.76 ERA and 5.14 SIERA in 45 1/3 innings pitched. Unfortunately, the young right-hander hasn’t looked much better at Triple-A. He has a 4.66 ERA and 5.78 FIP in 10 starts (56 IP) since his most recent demotion. As was his biggest problem last year, he has had tremendous difficulty earning strikeouts against Triple-A and MLB competition, and he isn’t limiting walks or hard contact as much as needs to if he’s going to survive with such a low strikeout rate.
Hancock still has all the potential that made him one of the Mariners’ top pitching prospects from the moment he was selected with the sixth overall pick in 2020 to his graduation from prospect status this season. However, he has yet to turn that potential into results. Presumably, he’ll get a couple more chances to prove himself in the majors this season while Castillo is on the IL.
Zavala, 31, came to the Mariners last November as part of the trade that sent Eugenio Suárez to the Diamondbacks. He is a strong defensive catcher thanks to above-average framing and blocking skills, but his career .205/.271/.342 slash line is precisely why he has been unable to hold down a job in the majors this season. It hasn’t helped that he is 19-for-101 (.188) with a 79 wRC+ at Triple-A this year. Presumably, he will finish the season at Triple-A Tacoma, sticking around as additional catching depth in case one of Cal Raleigh or Mitch Garver suffers a late-season injury.
One of our young starters would be enough tbh, no need to add Harry ford and another prospect
Mariners have little leverage in trade discussions because everyone knows they are desperate for hitters, and heads in the front office may roll if they go bust again next year?
The Mariners leverage in any trade is they could trade with somebody else.
Wrong. Everyone is desperate for starting pitching so the Mariners have the leverage.
So you think a team who wants controllable SP would offer less for Miller, Woo, Kirby or Gilbert because the M’s are desperate? Most of those guys want to keep their jobs, too.
Kirby and Gilbert are going nowhere. Maybe Woo or Miller it the return has to be big. Best bet is Hancock. Just needs time to get real comfortable in the bigs. Those other 4 had struggles their first year up too. Hancock has the stuff just needs time and guarantees he has time to get a good foothold.
So you either think Divish is a liar or misinformed then? He seems to think Gilbert being moved is 50/50.
No way M’s should trade Woo. He’s our best pitcher.
Hancock has had more of an injury history than any of them, return wouldn’t be great. I saw somewhere (though can’t remember where) The Kirby might not be a bad move for a controllable top-line hitter.
They need to do something with Ford. Raleigh is there through 2027 and they won’t bring Ford up to be a backup catcher. They need to move one of them or Ford needs to learn another position.
Ford is athletic enough to play 2nd base or OF. Always been a dream to have a backup C who can play the field.
Despite his should-be-100% SB rate, Raleigh probably only fits at Catcher.
I’m not so sure Ford is a sure bet to be moved. They can, and probably should, keep him in the minors for a couple of more years. That would give him a chance to learn other positions and potentially serve in a utility-catcher role if they’re able to extend Raleigh. Otherwise, he replaces Raleigh.
Regarding Hancock, I agree, it doesn’t make sense to sell low on him and he’s valuable to the team as their sixth starter with two more option years.
There’s an argument to move any of the other starters for various reasons, but I hope they keep this rotation together and add bats by taking on a contract, or through free agency..
At this point, I have zero confidence in this ownership group or the front office, but I’d be happy to see them prove everyone wrong.
Calm down with the Riley Greene conspiracy. Dipoto has historically never traded with the Tigers GM before, so this isn’t even a good speculation. Expect more trades with Tampa Bay.
@reynaldo’s- Scott Harris hasn’t even been in Detroit two full years yet so we can’t really say they never trade with each other. They just haven’t had needs align yet. Detroit has pitching, needs hitting, and wants to compete just like the M’s.
I bet yandy Diaz (or Brandon lowe but that’s less likely) coming over this off-season, just for him to hit with a .600 ops all for someone like tai peete
I used to think that t mobile wasn’t that hard to hit in but this season has changed my mind
Hancock and a lower level pitching prospect to Mets for Vientos.
Mets say f-no, Hancock has lost his value
Colorado would probably like someone like Hancock but that’s just speculation
Hancock has not lost his value. He needs to be on a team he can be the 5th guy and have time to struggle a little to get consistent time. He struggled early then looked pretty good tonight.
Why on earth would the Mets trade Vientos?
Dam,How bad to you have to SUCK,to be DFA d twice by same team lol
Seby Zavala is White Sox-worthy.
WS
“Dam,How bad to you have to SUCK,to be DFA d twice by same team”
On the fringe of being one of the top 1000 baseball players in the world
You, for an example, are almost certainly not one of the top 1000 TSA agents, or whatever it is you do, in the world.
Half as much as Anthony Gose?
WTH? Why would the Tigers trade Riley Greene? They don’t really need pitching. This doesn’t add up.
It’s a troll that’s constantly doing Riley Greene conspiracy theories to rial up mariners fans like me
Yeah I don’t see the Tigers trading Greene at all.
Why would either team make a deal like that?
That may sound like a simple question, but a detailed look at each team’s needs, the players involved and what they mean to their respective clubs, is telling just how unrealistic a trade like this is.
Why would the Tigers trade their best young hitter when they are ready to start winning? Makes no sense…
Kirby and Crawford for Duran and Rafaela
F-no Duran is a star and why would the Red Sox take jp
Why are there so many random trade proposals in the comments? I get that the mariners season is done but theres no way we start a rebuild this off-season
I think the Mariners should trade a starting pitcher for a hitter. And as the other guy mentioned they could trade Ford too. The Mariners will probably make a couple trades this offseason but certainly not a rebuild.
Both players that represent Seattle’s SP depth are now on the active roster.
It would be wrong to assume Seattle’s flaws are limited to their offense.
If Seattle trades a starter let it be Castillo. Too much money for 3rd best pitcher on the team.
A deal involving Castillo, Garver and Yoshida from the Red Sox could make sense. Mariners would probably need to include some money but that helps fill both teams needs.
Exactly! Castillo has pitched his last day for the Mariners
None of the young pitchers will be moved
So.. what teams are interested in Castillo?
And ofcourse, Move the lf fence and cf fence in for Julio please
Extend Gilbert asap while your at it
Zavala will go unclaimed of course. He’ll accept his AAA assignment, and I’ll wager he gets called back up the last week of the season. He’s their new Abraham Toro – defensively useful, but still would struggle to hit .200 in a tee ball league.
They are, huh? Cite your source or be quiet.