To conclude this three-game set, the Mariners square off against old friend(?) J.A. Happ. Happ, as you might recall, was acquired in the 2015 offseason for precisely one Condor, triggering a moderate meLLtdown. While Michael Saunders was hurt for much of 2015, Happ was mediocre incarnate, and was dealt to the Pirates for Adrian Sampson at the deadline.
Of course, THEY ALWAYS GET BETTER WHEN THEY LEAVE, and Happ dominated under the tutelage of Ray Searage, running a 2.19 FIP through 63.1 innings down the stretch. While he parlayed that into a three-year deal with the Blue Jays, he hasn’t come close to that mark since.