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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners have had notable injuries to their pitching staff after having the healthiest rotation in the major leagues last season.
In 2024, the Mariners were the only team in baseball with four pitchers who started 30 or more games. Only seven pitchers started for Seattle all last season — the least in the majors. This year, three starting pitchers have landed on the injured list and nine hurlers have started games.
But, the injury woes are taking a turn for the better. George Kirby made his season debut May 22, Bryce Miller will be activated off the injured list in the coming days and Logan Gilbert will begin his rehab assignment with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers this week.
There's been speculation the club could opt for a six-man rotation to preserve health for the rest of the season.
Seattle general manager Justin Hollander spoke to the media in a pregame scrum Tuesday and clarified there is "intrigue" in the idea of adding a man to the rotation, but it's unlikely the Mariners divert from their five-man rotation.
"I would say the unfortunate thing about the roster rules is you only get 26 spots and you only get 13 pitchers. And when you add a sixth starter, you take away a reliever. When you add a sixth starter, sometimes your starters pitch every six days and sometimes they pitch every eight or nine days. Starting pitchers are fussy, they don't like that. ... (President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto) talked about this on the road trip, I would not anticipate a full six-man rotation. There may be times where we drop in a sixth starter. But I think we will stick with a five-man rotation, at least with how we're headed right now."
This information means that fill-in starters Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans will spend the majority of the season back with Tacoma after Miller and Gilbert return.
Emerson Hancock's 2Ks in the 2nd. ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/7qFZPdA5De
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 18, 2025
Hollander's aside about the team potentially dropping in a sixth starter occasionally means that either Evans or Hancock could both make major league appearances after they're optioned back to Triple-A. The experience the two hurlers have had will be beneficial to the team, especially if another major injury pops up.
More must-reads:
- Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski continues to set radar gun on fire at unprecedented rate
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- The 'MLB All-Star Game MVPs' quiz
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Chicago Cubs eyeing familiar closer with 107 career saves
The Chicago Cubs are going to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, which is July 31. While third base is an obvious area of need, they also reportedly are looking at strengthening their bullpen. One player they have had an eye on, both now and in the past, is Kyle Finnegan. Recent reports have re-tied Kyle Finnegan to the Chicago Cubs Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic recently reported that Kyle Finnegan is one player that the Cubs have their eye on. Chicago has been tied to him in the past, as they expressed interest in him over the off-season. Additionally, before the emergence of Daniel Palencia, they were urged to trade for him earlier in the season. How would Kyle Finnegan fit into the Cubs bullpen? Throughout his Nationals career, Finnegan, a right-handed closer, has racked up 107 saves since 2021 and has a career 3.68 ERA. This year, his results have not been as good as previous seasons, evidenced by a 4.62 ERA, however he does have 19 saves and his experience in high-leverage situations would be beneficial in a post season match up. Finnegan is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, meaning a trade to acquire him likely wouldn’t require a significant prospect haul. His addition wouldn’t necessarily push Daniel Palencia out of the closer role, but instead, he could slot into a setup role alongside Ryan Pressly. For manager Craig Counsell, it would simply add another dependable arm to an already strong bullpen, providing more flexibility in high-leverage situations. As the deadline draws closer, Finnegan could emerge as a realistic and impactful target to bolster the late-inning mix.
WNBA All-Star Game ratings paint a troubling picture
WNBA players sent a message to the league with T-shirts they wore ahead of the All-Star Game on Saturday night, but the ratings for the game did not exactly strengthen their stance. Prior to the All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., Caitlin Clark and other players warmed up in shirts that said “Pay us what you owe us” across the front. The message had to do with the current state of collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and WNBA Player’s Association. Unfortunately for the players, the television ratings for the game were not very good. Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday that the WNBA All-Star Game drew 2.19 million viewers on ABC, which was down roughly 36% from a year ago. Last year’s game featured the WNBA All-Stars against the Team USA squad that was preparing to compete in the Summer Olympics in Paris. The dip in ratings is likely another example of the type of impact Clark has had on the WNBA. Although she was a team captain for this year’s All-Star Game, Clark did not play due to a groin injury. Clark played in last year’s game for the All-Star side, as she did not make the Team USA Olympic roster. Many fans were outraged that she was snubbed from the Olympic team, which added an element of intrigue to the All-Star Game. There is no way of knowing for certain whether more fans would have watched the All-Star Game on Saturday night had Clark played. It is a safe guess, however, especially when you look at some recent trends for the league.
Tyrann Mathieu retirement highlights compelling Hall of Fame case
One question remains after New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu announced his retirement. How long until Canton calls? On Tuesday, the 12-year NFL veteran revealed he was retiring, effective immediately, ending the New Orleans native's legendary football career. In a statement published to social media, the three-time first-team All-Pro wrote, "As I hang up my cleats, I'm filled with gratitude as I close this chapter of my life and officially retire from the game that's shaped me in every way. "From my first snap in college to my final play in the NFL, this journey has been nothing short of a blessing." He's a surefire first-ballot Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame honoree, breaking out while at LSU (2010-11). During his freshman and sophomore seasons, he forced 11 fumbles with eight recoveries, four interceptions and four total touchdowns while finishing fifth in Heisman voting in 2011. Mathieu was dismissed from the team in 2012 after failing multiple drug tests and then was arrested on marijuana charges, but he didn't allow that to define his career. Instead, he carved out what could be considered a Pro Football Hall of Fame resume, too. Mathieu ends his professional career with 838 tackles, 100 passes defended and 36 interceptions. In addition to being named first-team All-Pro three times, he received three Pro Bowl honors and was a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010 Team. Mathieu also won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2020. Per Mathieu's Pro Football Reference's Hall of Fame Monitor score (65.2), he has a below-average case for enshrinement, with the average Hall of Fame defensive back scoring a 96.93. But players have received a gold jacket with worse scores in the PFR metric, including John Lynch, Eric Allen and Dick LeBeau. While he might have to wait past his first ballot to make it into the Hall of Fame, it would be a shame if Mathieu didn't one day receive his flowers. It certainly helps his case that in addition to being one of the greatest safeties of his generation, Mathieu was, by all accounts, just as outstanding off the field. NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill and Arizona Cardinals insider Kyle Odegard, who covered Mathieu when he played for the Cardinals, were among the media members to share fond stories about Mathieu. "One of those guys who really respected the job we do and would take the time to explain the game," Underhill shared. "He an all-world talent and the most accessible, genuine, introspective superstar I've ever met," Odegard wrote. It could take longer than five years, but it should surprise no one if one day Mathieu receives Hall of Fame recognition. He is the Honey Badger, after all. He takes what he wants.
Kraken announce lucrative new deal for veteran winger
Earlier Tuesday, the dates for the seven remaining arbitration-eligible players were revealed. However, one player who won’t need that hearing after all is Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko. The Kraken announced that they’ve reached an agreement on a three-year contract that will pay $4.525M per season after being set to exchange arbitration figures on Wednesday. GM Jason Botterill released the following statement: "Getting a contract done with Kaapo was a top priority this summer. We knew quickly he’d be a big part of our team moving forward. He’s got size, skill and tremendous playmaking ability, and isn’t afraid of going to the net. He fit in immediately with our group, and we’re thrilled to have him under contract." The 24-year-old was the second overall selection back in 2019 by the Rangers and had seemingly been on thin ice in New York for a couple of years. The two sides agreed on a one-year, $2.4M contract last offseason, well before qualifying offers were due to be submitted, avoiding any risk of the Rangers non-tendering him to avoid arbitration rights. The deal seemingly represented a last-chance opportunity for Kakko, and it’s fair to say he didn’t make the most of it. He managed just four goals and 10 assists in 30 games with New York and in December, the Rangers pulled the trigger on a trade, sending him to Seattle for defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round selection. The change of scenery seemed to give Kakko a boost. He averaged just under a point per game over his first month with the Kraken, and overall, he picked up 10 goals and 20 assists in 49 outings. Combining his stats with New York, Kakko’s 44 points represented a career high, giving him some leverage heading into contract talks this summer. Considering that Kakko’s career numbers of 71 goals and 90 assists in 379 games is rather pedestrian, Jason Botterill is clearly banking on Kakko’s second-half production being a sign of things to come. He got the bigger role he was hoping for following the swap, logging a little over 17 minutes a night of playing time after averaging just over 13 minutes a night prior to the swap. It’s clear that based on this deal, the Kraken feel that Kakko can be a legitimate top-six forward for them moving forward. Beyond his entry-level contract, this is the longest agreement that Kakko has signed. It’s a pact that buys out his first two UFA-eligible seasons, making those eligible for potential trade protection. It will also allow Kakko to potentially reach the open market at 27 in 2028, putting him in a position to possibly secure a long-term, big-money agreement if he’s able to maintain and build off his strong first half-season with Seattle. With the signing, the Kraken now have a little under $6.5M in cap space, per PuckPedia. They still have one key restricted free agent to sign in defenseman Ryker Evans. He’s not arbitration-eligible but Botterill should have enough flexibility to sign him to a long-term agreement if the sides can work one out. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report the signing.
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