3 options for the Mariners to protect their Starting Pitching depth

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!