The Seattle Mariners shook up their roster when they traded Jarred Kelenic in a multi-player deal to the Atlanta Braves. However, the Mariners got some brutal news on one of their return pieces just as spring training is set to begin.
Right-hander Cole Phillips underwent Tommy John surgery and is expected to miss the entire 2024 season, as well as a portion of the 2025 campaign, via Ty Dane Gonzalez of Locked on Mariners. This is the second time Phillips underwent Tommy John surgery in his career.
Alongside Kelenic, Seattle sent Marco Gonzales and Evan White to the Braves for Phillips and Jackson Kowar. The move helped the Mariners move some salary as they planned the future of their roster. However, their return package wasn’t insignificant, as Seattle picked up a pair of intriguing pitchers in their salary dump.
Kowar spent three years in the majors with the Kansas City Royals from 2021-2023. His numbers failed to impress, with a career 9.12 ERA. However, Seattle will hope a change of scenery and his continued move to the bullpen will ignite a spark.
Cole Phillips however was the crown jewel of the deal for the Mariners. The righty ranks as the 14th-best prospect in the organization, via MLB Pipeline. He is lauded for his fastball and has been compared to Nathan Eovaldi. After his lost season with the Braves, Seattle saw the upside in acquiring Phillips.
However, they’ll now have to wait for him to make his debut in the minors. His unfortunate Tommy John surgery will once again take Phillips away from the diamond. His potential is still high, but it’ll be a much longer time before Phillips makes an impact with the Mariners.
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