Mariners Bullpen 2021

I am sure most everyone will agree
it is the Mariners bullpen which got
the team close to the playoffs. Also,
we can agree it wasn't expected
either since 2020 the bullpen wasn't
not very good.

Manager Scott Servais showed what

he could do with a solid bullpen. I

was a bit critical of him when bring

in pitchers and taking them out but

he didn't have the pitchers to do so.

We saw down the stretch especially

where he wasn't afraid to pull a

starter or a reliever who wasn't

doing well at the time. I wonder 

whether had he done the same

earlier in the season the Mariners

would have been in the playoffs.

Of the original eight relievers in

the bullpen only three were still

there at the end of the season. 

Actually those three did spend 

a little time on the injured list

but major contributors for the

most part. Lefty specialist Anthony

Misiewicz, Casey Sadler and 

Drew Steckenrider.  Sadler and

Steckenrider both had tremendous

years. Misiewicz got off to a good

start but as the season went on 

wasn't as affective.  Sadler had

a great season with an era of 0.67.

He set a Mariner record going like

28 scoreless appearances. Drew 

got off to a tough start but was a

key member of the bullpen the

second half of the season. 

Paul Sewald the Mariners signed

as a minor league free agent came

up on May 13. Sewald eventually

became the key to the bullpen along

with Steckenrider after Kendall

Graveman was traded to the Houston

Astros along with Rafael Montero

who had a disaster season up to the

trading deadline. 

Sewald had 11 saves on the season

while Steckenrider had 14. Servais

did not use the closer spot like a lot

of teams do. Sewald was primarily

used when the other team's top of

the batting order were up to bat 

whether it was the seventh, eighth

or ninth. Steckenrider usually 

followed Sewald. 

The Mariners picked up Diego

Castillo at the trading deadline

from Tamp Bay. Castillo was 

ok with the Mariners though I

am sure most fans wish he had

done better. 

The bottom end of the bullpen

wasn't as good as the Mariners

would have liked, however, they

will be adding a couple more to

Castillo, Steckenrider, and Sewald.

The have Andres Munoz out for

most of the season who they had

acquired in the Austin Nola trade

last year and Ken Giles a veteran

reliever who had Tommy John

surgery. Having these two will

help in the last three innings of

a game as well. Go M's.