Since joining the Mariners via trade in 2017, Marco Gonzales has been a model of consistency, quietly ranking among the most productive starting pitchers in the American League. He was a steadying presence in the Mariners rotation last season, posting career highs in wins (16), starts (34), innings (203) and strikeouts (147), and was coming into the 2020 season looking to embrace a leadership role with a slew of young, talented prospects in the system.
After Major League Baseball canceled the remainder of its Spring Training games, and also announced that the start of the 2020 regular season will be delayed due to the national emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic on March 12, Mariners players were left in limbo on exactly what was going to happen next.