Back on November 15, just six days after doing something uncharacteristic for this front office and something that’s a rarity across the league, the Mariners did it again: they signed a guy with zero MLB experience to a major league contract. After inking infielder Dylan Moore to a deal nearly a week prior, the Mariners brought in RHP Ruben Alaniz to help fortify a bullpen that’s facing the departure of over 360 innings—or roughly 65%—from last year’s squad.
Alaniz, 27, spread 42.2 innings over four different levels of Tampa Bay’s system last year as he battled through two separate calf strains.