Don’t get me wrong — Marco Gonzales is not an ace. But by dealing James Paxton, the Mariners have left him atop their rotation’s depth chart talent-wise, and he finished out an impressive first full major-league season like he had something to prove.
Over his last four starts, Gonzales sported a pristine 1.71 ERA and 2.73 FIP, owing much of that success to his renewed stinginess in and around the zone. And that was an important development because those last starts followed his return from the DL for a neck strain.
Health is obviously important to every player, and it is undoubtedly so for Gonzales as he relies on the coordination of his body to successfully wield a repertoire lacking a truly dominant pitch.