PITTSBURGH — I can’t confirm the rumors that Pirates general manager crafted right-handed pitcher Jhan Mariñez in a factory. I can confirm that he’s just about everything the Pirates look for when it comes to making a pitcher acquisition.
Mariñez is a right-hander with a mid-90’s fastball. He throws a sinking two-seamer that’s helped him to a 57.4 percent ground-ball rate. His ERA is 5.40, but his secondary stats show promise for improvement. He has a 5.07 FIP and a 4.83 xFIP. He also comes with five years of control, including the 2017 season.
There’s a lot to like there, obviously, and Clint Hurdle said Saturday that Mariñez is a player that they’ve had on their radar for quite some time.