On January 2nd, Jerry Dipoto said in an interview with 710 ESPN’s Danny, Dave, and Moore that the Mariners’ 2019 closer might not yet be on the roster. Three weeks and a day later, former San Fransisco Giant Hunter Strickland signed a one-year deal with the Mariners. Could he be the door-closing bullpen piece Jerry referenced?
While Strickland isn’t a glamorous signing, he holds one statistical advantage over every other Mariners reliever: he has recorded double-digits saves in his career. The 30-year-old righty notched 14 of his 19 career saves last season, 13 of which came before he broke his throwing hand in June.