Marco Gonzales is back in the majors, and his latest stop came with a first: the first save of his career.
The former Seattle Mariners starter worked the final three innings of the Texas Rangers’ 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox on July 21, finishing off a three-hit shutout started by Kumar Rocker. Gonzales allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two, and even with a 10-run cushion, he still qualified for the save by going at least three innings and closing out the game.
For Gonzales, 34, it was his first MLB appearance since Aug. 7, 2024, when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. A recurring left forearm injury ended that season, and he hadn’t been back in the big leagues until Texas called him up.
The Rangers selected his contract from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day. Gonzales had signed a minor-league deal with Texas on June 23, just a week after the San Diego Padres organization released him.
Seattle fans know Gonzales well. He spent seven seasons with the Mariners and became one of the steadier arms on the roster during the rebuild.
Seattle acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Tyler O’Neill in July 2017, a trade that has been debated plenty over the years.
In a Mariners uniform, Gonzales made 151 appearances, 148 of them starts, and went 61-47 with a 4.08 ERA over 852 1/3 innings. He also started three straight Opening Days from 2019-21, making him only the fourth pitcher in franchise history to open at least three consecutive seasons.
His path back to the majors has been bumpy. Gonzales was hit hard in Triple-A while in the Padres organization, putting up a 7.99 ERA in 13 appearances, and things didn’t improve much with Round Rock, where he posted an 8.64 ERA in four starts. Even so, his career line still sits at a 4.16 ERA across 11 seasons.
Seattle moved on from Gonzales in December 2023, trading him, Jarred Kelenic and Evan White to the Atlanta Braves for pitchers Jackson Kowar and Cole Phillips. Atlanta then sent Gonzales to Pittsburgh.
Texas used him differently than Seattle ever did. After years as a starter, Gonzales made his Rangers debut as a multi-inning reliever. The role was new, but the result looked familiar: strikes, weak contact and a win turned into a save, the first of his 171-game major league career.
And the timing could make this even more interesting. The Mariners open a four-game series against the Rangers in Arlington on Friday, so Gonzales may not have to wait long for a reunion with his former club.
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