Mariners 25-Man Ultimate Preview: Roster-Projected Starting Pitchers

Feb 28, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) pitches in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Felix Hernandez (34) pitches in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 20, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Smyly (33) throws a pitch during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Drew Smyly (33) throws a pitch during the second inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

SP- Drew Smyly

IP- 162   W- 8   L- 8   ERA- 3.98   WHIP- 1.33   K-159  WAR- 1.1

At 11:32 AM on January 11th, the Mariners tweeted that they had acquired Shae Simmons and Mallek Smith from the Atlanta Braves.

Exactly 77 minutes the Mariners sent out another tweet. They had sent Mallek Smith and two other players to the Rays for Drew Smyly.

It was a lot to take in in a short amount of time, but all of a sudden, we had another starting pitcher to strengthen our rotation.

Drew Smyly is that stereotypical pitcher who has all that is necessary to succeed, but never quite puts it all together, whether due to injury or something else. In his first fully healthy year in which he was able to make 30 starts, he produced a WAR of exactly 0.0.

Yet before that, despite only starting over 20 games in one season, he had never produced a WAR below 1.6.

So here’s the picture that we have. An extremely capable pitcher who every time he gets going, gets injured, but in that short season, he will produce a great year. On the other hand, the one year he manages to completely stay healthy he struggles.

Will Smyly able to perform, but stay healthy an entire season? His history says no, and I’m sure he will hit the DL at some point, but while he is healthy if he can just get back to that 1.6 WAR, I don’t think anyone will be complaining.