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Predicting the Mariners' September call-ups thanks to MLB expanded rosters in 2024

Starting September 1st, major league teams will get two more active roster spots. Who will Seattle call on to help get the Mariners to the postseason?

By Jason Wang |
El Paso Chihuahuas v Tacoma Rainiers
El Paso Chihuahuas v Tacoma Rainiers / Alika Jenner/GettyImages
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The 26-man roster will soon become the 28-man roster as roster expansion season comes around. While teams used to be able to call up any member of the 40-man roster for the month, major league clubs will have to be a little more specific about what names they add. For certain teams like the Yankees, Phillies, and Brewers who are just a few games away from officially securing their spot in the bracket, other teams will need every advantage they can get to eke out an invitation to October.

Few teams have as small of a margin for error as the Mariners. With a 3.5-game deficit behind the Astros and just a 17.9% chance to make the playoffs, they'll need to choose their two extra bats and/or arms very wisely. Who are some possible names that could get the call?

#1. LF Nick Solak

Originally acquired from the Reds at the very beginning of the 2023 season, he was designated for assignment shortly after. After stints with the Braves and Tigers, he signed a minor league deal with the Mariners in January and has been a great bat with Triple-A Tacoma, slashing .302/.390/.435 with 10 doubles and seven home runs over 269 plate appearances. He's also got great plate discipline, striking out at a 16.0% clip while walking 11.2% of the time.

Solak's presents himself as a great platoon bat. He has a .946 OPS against lefties this season while the Mariners have a combined .639 OPS against left-handed pitching, 29th in MLB. He's also great against cutters, curveballs, and changeups, pitches that Seattle has struggled to hit all year.

The depth chart in left field is already stacked with Randy Arozarena at the very top, but Solak might find add value as a right-fielder or designated hitter at the very least. Should he be starting in the lineup every day? Probably not, but he has some important tools as a hitter that could come in handy.

#2. 3B Luis Urías

Urías has had a quietly productive season in Tacoma, posting a .794 OPS over 340 plate appearances. His walk rate of 14.1% has been outstanding, especially given a relatively low strikeout rate of 16.2%. While he was ultimately beaten out by Josh Rojas for the starting job at third base, his skillset can help compensate for weaknesses in Rojas's current play.

For one, Rojas has struggled against every pitch except the cutter and sinker this season. Specifically, his .386 against breaking balls has been a big reason for his regression post-April as pitchers have found it easier to attack him with movement. Urías, on the other hand, has been excellent against breaking pitches in Triple-A, posting a .933 OPS against them this year. He's been particularly adept at beating sliders, recording an 1.041 OPS.

Similar to the aforementioned Solak, it's doubtful that Urías will simply take over as the starting option in the hot corner. However, against pitchers with a heavy breaking ball arsenal or in a late-inning, pinch-hit situation against a nasty reliever, calling upon Urías could be the difference between a win and a loss.

#3. RP Chris Devenski

A controversial name among Rays fans, Devenski has struggled to find consistency after his first two stellar seasons with the Astros in 2016 and 2017. After bouncing around the league, he signed a major league with the Mariners in July but was sent outright to the Rainiers at the end of the month. After an ugly 6.75 ERA over 26.2 innings with the Rays this year, he's shown some major progress over his 13.2 innings with the Rainiers. He has a 1.98 ERA, 2.74 FIP, 0.80 WHIP, and 11.2 K/9. So what changed?

For those that don't know, the Rays pitching staff has the philosophy that the more strikes you throw, the better your life will be. They've been vocal about the importance of attacking the zone early in at-bats which is a great strategy for pitchers with immense talent and stuff like Tyler Glasnow and Shane McClanahan. However, for players like Chris Devenski who don't have the spin or velocity to keep up, it ends up with lots of hard contact and bad outings.

Since coming to the Mariners, he's moved the four-seam fastball to the upper portion of the zone allowing him to get by with velocity in the low 90's. Opposing hitters are averaging just .118 against the pitch while striking out 26.3% of the time.

His changeup, which has been a great pitch throughout his career, has continued to be effective with a strikeout rate of 35.0%.

Devenski could be an option to bolster the bullpen and take over innings in low or medium-leverage situations. A nine-year veteran at the major league level, he should have an easy time re-adjusting to the level of competition. While far from a lights-out presence on the mound, he's still got some use left in that right arm of his.

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