3 options for the Mariners to protect their Starting Pitching depth

Emerson Hancock, 1st round and 6th overall draft pick of 2020, is waiting to prove he’s worth the spot he was picked at. He likely opens the season as the ace of the Rainiers staff, though a familiar rest practice from last year might land him on the Opening Day roster. Easing your starters into the season by giving everybody an additional rest day running a 6 man rotation feels like a real option for Scott Servais.

It also gives a nod of belief to Hancock who would be breaking camp as a big leaguer for the first time. A few weeks into the season if Woo or Miller are feeling any pains from ramping up their workload they can take a beat. It’s entirely possible through proving he belongs and a combination of injury and performance that Emerson remains a Mariner all season long.

That still might largely play out even if he breaks spring camp with Tacoma. Either way, he’s the first line of defense for Servais to pencil in behind his very formidable starting five. There’s really no option 1B to his 1A as there is a significant drop off beyond the Mariners' number 11 ranked prospect. According to those rankings, there’s only one other starter, ranked number 21, projected to have a shot at this roster in 2024, and he's returning from an injury that essentially cost him 2023...

The bullpen’s loss might be the rotation’s gain

When he was claimed on waivers in February by Seattle, there was uncertainty as to whether Stoudt would stay as a starter or go to the pen. However, his recent reassignment to AAA spring camp seems to suggest that he’s going to be stretched out in Tacoma to be ready as a spot starter. As mentioned above, Dollard hasn’t thrown a pitch yet in camp so after Hancock it might be Stoudt who gets the early call if there needs to be one.

Most of you will remember Stoudt was traded to the Reds for Castillo, where he made 2 starts and 4 appearances striking out nine and giving up 11 earned runs. He’s back in the PNW this year and, hopefully, he can benefit from being in the organization that drafted him in the third round of 2019.

If Levi does make it up to the bigs there has probably been a rash of injuries occurring all clustered together. I’m hoping it doesn’t come to that and if his numbers from last year reflect his ability there will almost definitely be a free-agent signing or trade (does anybody still have Tommy Milone’s number?). This is the point on the depth chart where folks start getting nervous. 

What’s the plan here then?

There isn’t a single starter on the roster outside of the existing five that has much of any MLB experience. The truth is that the Mariners' rotation is so good that the depth pieces previously on this team were talented veterans who expect and deserve to have a rotation spot. Marco, Flexen, and Robbie Ray are not Triple-A players. On top of that the price tags on each of those guys were not going to be justified as depth.

DeSclafani fits in that same group but his arrival and then departure tells us something about the thought process that got us to where we are. It’s very possible that the front office saw the same glaring need at depth that the rest of us did when he was acquired. At the time it was assumed he would be part of a six man rotation or in the pen getting regular work.

I admit that role seemed beneath a guy who has 169 career starts under his belt across 9 seasons. When DiPoto and Hollander pulled the trigger on the Jorge Polanco deal that sent Tony packing they had to evaluate what they would be leaving in the cupboard. Unless there’s a 4A starting pitcher acquisition imminent this fan has to believe that rolling the dice on the kids already here is the plan. If the Mariners make it to June or so without major issues that plan might just be good enough. 

Just for fun

If we had to sign a starter right now there’s a pretty hefty list of available guys but there isn’t a single one of them that Spotrac has a projected value for that doesn't push up against 10 million. Yeesh. 

Lots of love and Go Mariners!