Andrés Muñoz has changed the conversation in Seattle.
What looked like a shaky first half for the Mariners closer has turned into a much more familiar stretch over his last six outings. After a rough opening to the season and a mid-June ERA that sat at 5.92 over 24.1 innings on June 15, Muñoz has settled down in a big way.
In those six appearances, he hasn’t allowed a run, has given up just two hits and two walks, and has struck out 10. He’s also collected five saves while reminding everyone why he belongs in the upper tier of MLB closers.
That matters for the Mariners’ deadline approach. It takes one obvious need off the board, because Seattle no longer has to chase a closer.
The bigger issue now is how the bullpen looks behind him. The Mariners still need help in relief, just not necessarily at the very top of the market.
Matt Brash is usually the setup man, but he’s on the injured list with right lat inflammation for the second time this season. Cooper Criswell has also been leaned on multiple times this year, and he’s out with a shoulder strain.
Both are expected back soon, but the group could still use another arm as insurance.
That kind of move would fit the situation better than swinging for a headline name like Aroldis Chapman, who had been floated as a possible target before Muñoz’s rebound. With Muñoz back to looking like himself, that idea now feels much less realistic.
Seattle’s trade priorities are still being shaped by the offense, especially its struggles against left-handed pitching. The Mariners own a .624 OPS against southpaws, which ranks last in MLB by a wide margin. But even with the lineup problems front and center, adding bullpen depth remains a smart path for a team trying to make a deeper playoff push.
There are some names in that lane. Antonio Senzatela has put together a surprisingly effective year for the Rockies, posting a 3.07 ERA and 3.38 FIP.
Rico Garcia has delivered the best season of his six-year big league career with the Orioles, carrying a 2.52 ERA and 3.67 FIP. Juan Morillo has also been excellent, turning in a 2.78 ERA and 2.77 FIP for an otherwise struggling Diamondbacks club.
Muñoz finding his footing again is a win on its own. For the Mariners, it also means they don’t have to spend a premium prospect package on a closer. If they want to fortify the bullpen now, they can aim lower, look for depth, and avoid paying the kind of price that comes with chasing a marquee late-inning arm.
In Other News...
Olney Just Floated A Mariners Trade Fit Fans Will Debate
As the Mariners continue sorting out what their roster might need down the stretch, Buster Olney tossed out a name on the "Refuse to Lose Territory" podcast that fits the kind of conversation Seattle keeps having around lineup balance and October viability. His pitch centered on a right-handed outfielder who could bring a steadier presence at the top of the order, which is the sort of profile that naturally draws interest from a club always looking to squeeze a little more offense out of its everyday mix.
The part that makes the idea linger is the timing. The player in question is nearing free agency, and the Orioles struggles only add another layer to the discussion, since clubs in Seattles position tend to watch situations like that closely. For the Mariners, it is the kind of possible addition that makes sense on paper and invites an immediate debate about whether the cost, the fit and the urgency all line up before the market gets moving. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Just Caught A Break In The AL West Race
The Mariners view of the AL West got a little clearer this week with Brent Rookers season now finished, a tough blow for an Athletics team that has already spent much of the year trying to patch together its lineup. Rooker had been sidelined since June 8 after first going on the injured list with a bone bruise, and even before this latest setback he had been grinding through an uneven season at the plate.
For Seattle, the bigger picture matters as much as the individual absence. The As have already had to navigate injuries elsewhere in the lineup, and losing one of their more dangerous bats only makes an already difficult divisional climb more complicated. The Mariners still have work to do, but any break in a tight race can matter, and this one leaves Oakland with another hole to fill. [Read more 🡒]