The other major decision by the Seattle Mariners involved releasing Donovan Solano, on a day when they made five roster moves in total.
Sunday was big for the Mariners, as they ended their seven-game road losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Guardians and now prepare to face the Rays in Tampa Bay on Labor Day Monday. Ahead of the series opener however, there has also been some roster moves including one which is particularly intriguing for fans:
Harry Ford one of the top catching prospects in baseball
Plenty of Mariners fans have been clamoring for quite a while to see Harry Ford in the majors, and now they will get their wish. The 2021 12th overall draft pick is ranked number four in the M’s farm system by MLB Pipeline, and 40th overall among all Major League prospects.
Ford has had a tremendous season in Triple-A Tacoma, producing career highs of 16 home runs and 74 RBI as part of a .868 OPS in 97 games. Ahead of the trade deadline there was speculation he would be moved due to his potential, how well he had played, and the belief he wouldn’t get enough opportunities down the road in Seattle due to a certain Cal Raleigh being the catcher.
In the end however the Mariners held onto Ford, and will now take a look at what he can do for them in the big league. He should get more playing time next season just because of the unlikely return of Mitch Garver, with the chance to also play at DH and potentially other positions just to get his speed on the field.
Mariners had to let Donovan Solano go
From our perspective, the other major move was releasing Donovan Solano. He was signed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal during the offseason, with a view to being part of a platoon system at first base.
Of course the need for Solano was effectively eradicated once the Mariners traded for Josh Naylor, but the reality is it’s been a disappointing season for the 37-year-old regardless. In fact it has been one of the worst seasons of his Major League career full stop, with a 0.0 WAR, .252/.295/.344 slash line and .639 OPS.
Mariners still looking for bullpen help
Luke Jackson was only signed by the Mariners in late August on a minor league deal, with the hope he can somehow help the bullpen. With them ranking 11th in the majors in ERA, 18th in WHIP and tied-18th in batting average, he will now get his opportunity.
How much Jackson helps remains to be seen, with him now 34 and his best days behind him. This season he has produced a 4.54 ERA, 4.99 FIP and 1.487 WHIP in 42 combined appearances over 39.2 innings for the Rangers and Tigers.
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Leo Rivas made his Major League debut for the Mariners last season and appeared in 43 games in total. He showed excellent progress earlier this season highlighted by a .283 batting average and 112 OPS+ in 30 games, but was optioned back to Triple-A Tacoma when Cole Young was called up at the end of May.
Finally we come to Sauryn Lao, who made his Major League debut for the Mariners earlier this season. He has been solid in Triple-A Tacoma this season, producing a 3.13 EA, 1.159 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 19 starts and 22 overall appearances over 69.0 innings.
One thing which should be noted is that even though Major League rosters expand to 28 players on Sept. 1, the Mariners will only have 27 players available until Sept. 6. That’s because this date represents the conclusion of Víctor Robles’ suspension for throwing a bat at an opponent, which was reduced from 10 to seven games on appeal.
Photos courtesy of Tim Rodgers Photography
What kind of success do you predict for Ford during the final month of the season? Further, how much do you think Jackson will help the bullpen? Let us know in the comments section below.
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