It was good to see Cooper Criswell back in a Mariners uniform on Monday in Boston, but his return landed in the middle of a bullpen mess that was already spiraling out of control.
By the time Criswell took the ball in the bottom of the 10th against the Red Sox, the damage had mostly been done. Seattle had already coughed up a three-run lead in the eighth and ninth, turning what had once looked manageable into a game that felt finished. Trevor Story’s walk-off hit against Criswell was just the last swing in a night that had gone sideways long before that.
Criswell hadn’t appeared since June 8, so this was a rough spot to be dropped into right away. Dan Wilson had already issued back-to-back intentional walks to Caleb Durbin and Jarren Duran, which left the right-hander with no room for error. That’s not exactly a fair landing spot for a pitcher making his first outing in nearly three months.
Even then, Criswell at least represents something the Mariners could use: a competent arm. He’s been effective in recent seasons, and this year he owns a 3.48 ERA. That’s a lot more appealing than the makeshift options Seattle leaned on while he was out, names like Michael Rucker, Nick Davila and other stopgaps who filled innings without changing the bigger picture.
The bigger picture is brutal. Seattle’s bullpen has posted a 7.71 ERA since the trade deadline, and the numbers only get uglier when you look at the mainstays.
Andrés Muñoz, Gabe Speier, Jose A. Ferrer and Seranthony Domínguez have each made at least five appearances in that stretch and still carry an ERA above 5.00.
Leo Rivas, Jhonny Pereda and Weston Wilson have also had brief turns, but one appearance apiece doesn’t explain away the damage done by the core group.
Eduard Bazardo is part of the problem too, and the trust there seems to be gone. He’s allowed two runs in each of his last two outings, yet Wilson has continued to turn to him when important outs are on the line. That’s the kind of pattern that tells you a bullpen isn’t just struggling - it’s searching for answers and coming up empty.
Matt Brash is still supposed to return sometime this month, and his 0.54 ERA would obviously help. But one arm can only do so much at this stage. With 24 games left and the Mariners already 10 games under .500, even a late surge from the bullpen would be too little to erase the wreckage that’s already been left behind.
Maybe Seattle wouldn’t have been transformed by adding someone like Luke Weaver, Jeff Hoffman or Erik Miller. But it’s fair to wonder whether the club would be in a less hopeless spot if it had made a stronger move. As it stands, the Mariners are stuck living with what they didn’t do, and the bullpen has become the clearest reason why the season feels all but spent.
In Other News...
Mariners Take A Chance On A Former Top Prospect With Upside
The Mariners added a familiar kind of lottery ticket to their pitching depth, signing right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson to a minor-league contract and sending him to Triple-A Tacoma. Once regarded as one of the better young arms in the system, Woods Richardson has already seen the majors with both the Blue Jays and Twins, and his path has taken him through a designation for assignment by Toronto before he elected free agency.
For Seattle, the move fits the sort of low-cost gamble contenders often make when they believe there is still something to unlock. Woods Richardson gives the organization another arm to evaluate in Tacoma, where the Mariners can keep a close eye on a pitcher who made his big-league debut in 2022 and is still young enough to factor if the stuff and command come together again. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Just Created A Connor Joe Question Fans Can't Ignore
The Mariners latest roster shuffle left Connor Joe in a familiar but uneasy spot. After Seattle designated Joe and right-hander Nolan Kingham for assignment to make room for Lzaro Montes and Hoby Milner on the 40-man roster, both players cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma, keeping the move from being the end of the road for either player just yet.
Joe now has a decision to make, since he has the right to elect free agency, and the Mariners have not indicated whether he plans to stay in the organization or test the market. Kinghams path is more straightforward because his service time means he has to accept the assignment, but Joes situation is the one that lingers for Seattle, where every roster spot matters and every fringe move can hint at what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners May Have Found A Better Use For Their Latest Pitching Add
The Mariners added another arm to their system by signing right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson to a minor-league deal and sending him to Triple-A Tacoma. Most of his big-league work has come as a starter, but he has also handled multiple roles this season, which makes him an interesting fit for a Seattle pitching staff that suddenly needs more flexibility.
With rotation depth thinned by an injury, the appeal here is less about where Woods Richardson has traditionally worked and more about where he might help most. Seattle can use pitching in just about any form right now, and his ability to cover innings gives the club another option if it wants to patch a game together out of the bullpen or lean on a bulk reliever while the roster sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]