By: Mahal Domingo-Anderson
The day is Friday, March 1st, and Mariners Nation nervously bite each other's fingernails. They all wait for news about a Canadian relief pitcher's elbow. Earlier in the week, fans read and heard about the potential for reliever Matt Brash to miss the entire season. Articles broke down sources around the league, believing Brash could miss the entire season. Alongside Gregory Santos, the new ,member of the Mariners' big three at the back end of the pen. There was nerve around opening day without the pair and much longer. Fortunately, Brash had MRIs without structural damage, and Santos resumed throwing without problems. However, the pair will not be ready until middle-late April. Alongside multiple injuries within the “Steckenrider Bucket,” the Mariners bullpen went from overflowing to bare and bland.
To combat this free fall before the skin and bones of the original bullpen, the Seattle Mariners have signed former Astros reliever and World Series champion Ryne Stanek. Many Mariners fans will recognize this name as he was a thorn in the side for multiple years, including his elite 2022 season. That year, Stanek racked up 0.9 fWAR. Stanek also had a K/9 of 10.21 and an HR/9 of 0.33 that lifted him to a core point in the World Series-winning Astros bullpen. That season, Stanek collected 1 save and 17 holds.
Following the massive 2022 and solid 2021 seasons, Stanek took a hit in 2023. In his age 31 season Stanek was worth 0.1 fWAR. A plummeted number compared to the 0.7 fWAR in 2021 and 0.9 fWAR in 2022. Stanek had a WHIP of 1.24 in 2023, a number nearly identical to the WHIP of 1.23 in 2022. This tiny increase could mean Stanek either overperformed in 2022 or underperformed in 2023. Either way, Stanek is a good major-league reliever and will bring an element of firepower to this already brutal Mariners Bullpen.
Another significant element Stanek will bring to this young Bullpen is experience, which cannot be overstated. In his 4 postseasons, Stanek has pitched precisely 20 innings and only given up 9 hits, 6 walks, 6 earned runs, and 3 homers. For a Seattle Mariners team yearning for a postseason birth in 2023, Stanek will bring crucial experience and support to the incredibly young Mariners pitching staff.