Seattle Mariners Opening Day Countdown: #57 Mark Lowe

We are now Mark Lowe (57) days away from Seattle Mariners opening day. It is a highly anticipated year for fans as we hope to see a more competitive team in 2021.

To celebrate day 57 in our countdown, we take a look back at former Mariners pitcher Mark Lowe.

Reflecting on Mark Lowe’s Seattle Mariners career

Mark was drafted by Seattle in the 5th round of the 2004 MLB draft out of the University of Texas at Arlington. Lowe quietly had a solid 11-year career in the MLB.

He was a well-traveled relief pitcher who pitched in three postseasons, and two World Series. He has a career 4.22 ERA, 4.20 FIP, 101 ERA+, and 352 strikeouts. Lowe has not been selected to an All-Star game but he certainly could have a couple of times.

Lowe made his MLB debut in 2006, just two years after being drafted by Seattle. He stayed until he was traded to the Texas Rangers in July 2010. Lowe joined the dominant Rangers side alongside Cliff Lee in exchange for Justin Smoak, Blake Beavan, Josh Lueke, and Matt Lawson.

That turned out to be a bad trade…

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Up to that point, Mark Lowe was subpar. He posted a 1.93 ERA in his first MLB season, but he only threw 18.2 innings. His next good season was in 2009, where he posted a 3.26 ERA in 80 innings.

After a few solid years on the talented Texas Rangers team, he pitched for the Angels, Cleveland, and returned back to Seattle on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

He ended up making the team and pitched extremely well. Lowe threw 36 innings and posted a 1.00 ERA before being traded to Toronto.

Lowe then went on to sign a two-year deal with the Tigers but only completed one year with them. After being released, the Seattle Mariners gave Lowe another chance and signed him to a minor league deal.

He was unable to bounce back, so his last year in the MLB ended up being 2016.

With Seattle, Mark Lowe pitched 211.1 innings. In six seasons, he posted a 3.45 ERA, 122 ERA+, 3.65 FIP, and struck out 201 batters. Lowe won’t make the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame but he deserves some recognition for his contributions especially as a Mariners draftee.

Mark Lowe is now 37-years-old and is raising two kids. I’d love to see him back in Seatle at some point to throw out the first pitch, as an under the radar player.