Brady's Spin: I Want to See This Member of Seattle Mariners Get More Chances

The Seattle Mariners enter play on Friday night at 22-14 overall and three games up in the American League West race. The Mariners have done a lot right in the first 36 games of the season: They've hit home runs, they've gotten contributions from up-and-down the roster, and they've gotten an MVP-type start from catcher Cal Raleigh.

However, for as good as it's been, there are still reasons to believe it can get better for Dan Wilson's club. Matt Brash just returned to the roster and should be a better version of himself as he gets comfortable. George Kirby looks on track to return from injury this month, and the team can still expect a better performance from Julio Rodriguez.

But there's also one under the radar thing that I think would make the M's better, and that's giving Carlos Vargas a bigger role in the bullpen.

Vargas, 25, has proven to be a valuable part of the M's bullpen already, going 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA. He also earned a save on Tuesday in a win against the A's - the first of his career. He's struck out 12 batters in 17.1 innings, but features solid stuff, including an upper-90s fastball with movement.

I discussed this more on the most recent edition of the Refuse To Lose podcast:

I ​want ​to ​see ​Carlos ​Vargas ​get ​more ​high-​leverage ​innings ​or ​more ​high-​leverage ​opportunities. ​Because ​right ​now, in ​the ​bullpen, ​Andres ​Munoz, ​you ​feel ​great ​about. ​Gabe ​Speier, ​I ​think ​you ​feel ​pretty ​darn ​good ​about. ​Matt ​Brash ​you ​want ​to ​feel ​good ​about, ​but ​he's ​not ​quite ​there ​yet. ​But ​he's ​still ​in ​your ​leverage ​camp. ​So ​that's ​three ​leverage ​guys. ​I'm ​ready ​to ​anoint Carlos ​Vargas ​as ​the ​fourth, ​and ​so ​if ​that ​means ​that ​you ​need ​a ​swing ​guy ​to ​come ​in ​and ​get ​it ​out ​in ​the ​sixth, ​I'm ​ready ​to ​give ​Carlos ​Vargas ​a ​chance. ​If ​you ​put ​Speier ​into ​the ​sixth ​to ​get ​a ​lefty ​out ​and ​you ​need ​Vargas ​for ​the ​seventh, ​then ​I'm ​with ​that too. ​Or ​Brash ​for ​the ​seventh ​and ​Vargas ​for ​the ​eighth. ​I ​am for ​Carlos ​Vargas ​getting ​more ​opportunities ​for ​the ​Mariners ​in ​meaningful ​situations.

The M's acquired Vargas before the 2024 season in the deal that sent Eugenio Suarez to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

You can listen to the full podcast episode in the player below: