Seattle Mariners Rumors: New Starting Pitcher Added Following Drew Smyly Injury

Seattle Mariners rumors have confirmed that following the Drew Smyly injury, the front office has already promoted a new starting pitcher from Triple-A Tacoma. Smyly has a flexor strain in his left elbow and will be sidelined for at least six to eight weeks. This is a big blow to the Mariners, as Smyly was a key acquisition by general manager Jerry DiPoto during the offseason. It forced the front office to quickly take advantage of the starting pitching depth it had accrued over the past year.

As reported by MLB.com, the Seattle Mariners have recalled Ariel Miranda from Triple-A. Miranda was optioned to the Tacoma Rainiers after participating during Spring Training with the Mariners. He only spent about four days in the minor leagues, though, where he was supposed to continue working on his pitching in case he was needed as an injury replacement. With Smyly heading to the disabled list before Opening Day, Miranda has received an early promotion.

These Seattle Mariners rumors won’t be that surprising to fans who have been paying close attention to the team this spring. After participating in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA, Drew Smyly returned to camp with what has been described as a “soggy” arm. The strength just wasn’t there for Smyly, so the team put him through a number of examinations and tests that revealed a flexor strain in his left elbow. Now he could be out for at least two months of the 2017 MLB season.

Ariel Miranda’s stats were pretty good during his rookie season, as he would make 10 late-season starts for the Mariners. He would finish with a 3.54 ERA, 1.089 WHIP, and a 5-2 record over 56 innings pitched. Miranda was very valuable for the Mariners down the stretch, taking a roster spot due to injuries on the staff. It also proved that Jerry Dipoto has made a good move in acquiring him from the Baltimore Orioles.

At the July MLB trade deadline, Dipoto traded Wade Miley to the Orioles for Miranda. The Orioles were looking for some depth in the starting rotation and the Mariners were taking a chance on a minor league pitcher with potential. Coming out of Cuba, the left-hander had posted decent numbers but just didn’t have a significant roster spot with the Orioles. That changed quickly when Miranda made his way to Seattle.

Miley was terrible for the Orioles over the final two months of the regular season. He made 11 starts for Baltimore, posting a 6.17 ERA, 1.574 WHIP, and a 2-5 record. Miley’s contract is still in place, worth about $9 million for the 2017 MLB season and then he has a team option of $12 million in 2018 that will likely get declined. That could make him an interesting option for teams to pursue in free agency, but he will need a good 2017 season to earn big money.

The Seattle Mariners’ starting rotation now consists of Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, James Paxton, Ariel Miranda, and Yovani Gallardo. The Mariners traded for Gallardo, hoping he can live up to his career numbers that include a 3.79 ERA. He too had a rough year in 2016, though, with a 5.42 ERA over 23 starts with the Baltimore Orioles. Gallardo will debut as the No. 5 starter for the Mariners, with Jerry Dipoto bringing him on to help eat up innings during the regular season. Before 2016, Gallardo had seven consecutive years of at least 180 innings pitched.

Opening Day for the Mariners comes on Monday (April 3) against the Houston Astros. It’s a road game where Felix Hernandez will be on the mound. As it stands, Ariel Miranda will make his debut on Thursday (April 6), going up against the Astros as well. This is an important series in the American League West. The team also has 10-straight games with no days off the open the season, meaning the depth of the pitching is going to be tested a lot. If there are any early struggles, fans should expect new Seattle Mariners rumors about acquiring players like Jose Quintana.

[Featured Image by Brian Blanco/Getty Images]