The Mariners have obtained another pitcher to help the bullpen, bringing in right-hander Casey Legumina for cash considerations.
In a lot of ways, the Seattle Mariners bullpen did well last season, especially when considering Matt Brash missed the whole year and offseason acquisition Gregory Santos was limited to just eight appearances. Combined, the relievers ranked ninth in the Majors in ERA, fourth in WHIP, and second in both walks and opposing team batting average.
However, this does not mean there aren’t some concerns, with the Mariners relying too much on Andrés Muñoz at times and often not coming through when called upon late in tight games. In addition, Brash won’t be back for the beginning of the season, while no one knows what version of Santos they will get in 2025, or if he can remain healthy.
With this in mind, last month the Mariners claimed two intriguing relievers off waivers, to help try and find some quality depth for the bullpen. This included the talented but injury-prone Hagen Danner from the Toronto Blue Jays, as well as former 6th overall pick Tyler Jay from the Milwaukee Brewers. (Who he has since returned to).
On top of this the Mariners also recently acquired Will Klein from the Athletics in exchange for international slot money, and signed Neftalà Feliz to a minor league deal but with an invite to Major League spring training. Klein represented the Kansas City Royals at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park, while Feliz was an MLB All-Star and AL Rookie of the Year back in 2010.
Mariners add Casey Legumina to the mix
Well, on Monday the Mariners confirmed the arrival of yet another reliever, in Casey Legumina. Executive Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations Justin Hollander announced that the righty was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations.
To make room for the move, fellow pitcher Jhonathan DÃaz has been designated for assignment. As a result,the Mariners’ 40-man roster remains full at 40 players.
To this point, Legumina has had limited exposure at the Major League level, with 17 combined appearances over the past two seasons. He’s also experienced little success so far, as evidenced by a 6.95 ERA, 6.17 FIP and 1.909 WHIP in 22.0 innings.
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Mariners know how to get the best out of relievers
However, if there’s one club which has the ability to help relievers it’s the Mariners, who have been successful with a number of reclamation ‘projects’ in the bullpen during the Jerry Dipoto era in Seattle. They will be hoping the same applies again for a player who was drafted by three different Major League teams, including most recently in the eighth round in 2019 by the Minnesota Twins.
A significant portion of this optimism comes from how Legumina has performed in the minors, with a 4.05 ERA and 1.297 WHIP in 114 combined games at all levels, including a 3.80 ERA and 1.300 WHIP in 65 Triple-A appearances. Of particular note, the 27-year-old has a 26 percent strikeout rate and 8.5 percent walk rate during his four seasons in the minors.
This is a low-risk, high-reward gamble by the Mariners, for a pitcher who won’t cost that much. Legumina has one option year remaining and less than a full season of service time, meaning he can be moved regularly between the Majors and minors during the 2025 campaign.
Main photo credit: Mariners media
What level of collective success are you predicting for the Seattle Mariners bullpen in 2025? Similar to last season, better or — dare we say it — worse? Let us know in the comments section below.
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