Mariners should take shot on former pitcher after Red Sox roster decision

UPDATE: The Mariners unfortunately missed the boat, as the Red Sox re-signed Isaiah Campbell to a minor-league deal late Friday night.

The Seattle Mariners are known for continuously plucking relievers out of nowhere and turning them into solid, and sometimes elite, high-leverage arms. Guys like Drew Steckenrider, Paul Sewald, Austin Voth, Collin Snider, and Justin Topa all either established themselves as major league arms or resurrected their careers in the Mariners' bullpen.

While Jerry DIpoto isn't afraid to deal relievers in exchange for help elsewhere (emphasizing the confidence he has in the system's ability to build a bullpen), sometimes these deals don't necessarily work out. Last offseason, the Mariners moved Arkansas product, Isaiah Campbell, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Luis Urias, in hopes of finding an answer at third base.

That experiment failed miserably as Urias could never get things going and spent most of the year in Tacoma. Fast forward to this offseason and ... Urias is a free agent and Isaiah Campbell was recently designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox, presenting an interesting opportunity for Dipoto to acquire the pitcher he formerly drafted with the 76th overall pick in 2019.

Mariners could add Isaiah Campbell to the bullpen in hopes of reclaiming some of his 2023 magic

Campbell was a solid starting pitcher during his four years at Arkansas, playing against some of the best talent in the country. The Mariners immediately turned the big righty to the bullpen in hopes his stuff would play up, and it sure looked like they made the right move.

Campbell regularly posted double-digit strikeout numbers and low walk rates, leading to his promotion to the big leagues straight from Double-A Arkansas in 2023. As the year wore on, it looked like Dipoto had found himself another solid bullpen arm, this time via the draft and not free agency. In 28 2/3 innings in 2023, Campbell had a solid 2.83 ERA, with an impressive 10.4 K/9 but an elevated 4.1 BB/9. This prompted Dipoto to capitalize on his value and send him to Boston.

His time in Bostin did not go well, as he threw just 6 2/3 major league innings for a 16.2 ERA. Campbell dealt with a pair of arm injuries; a right shoulder impingement landed him on the injured list in mid-April and right elbow inflammation ended his season in July.

Campbell showed a lot of promise and had a pretty solid sweeper, something we know the Mariners love. With Boston's decision to move on from the 27-year-old, this could be an opportunity for Dipoto to give a familiar face a second chance.