Andrés Muñoz Makes Pointed Statement On Mariners' Controversial Bullpen Decision

Tough to leave your closer on the sidelines...

Aug 12, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Andres Munoz (75) fields a ground ball and makes a play at first for an out against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images | Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images

Managing a bullpen in a playoff game is a task every Major League Baseball manager must secretly dread.

Pulling a pitcher too soon, leaving him in too long, or putting in the wrong pitcher at the wrong time are some of the main errors managers can make that will generate serious criticism for a postseason loss. Unfortunately, Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson had one of those errors on Monday night.

In a do-or-die Game 7 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Wilson went to setup man Eduard Bazardo over closer Andrés Muñoz with the go-ahead run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning. He was punished instantly, as Blue Jays star George Springer hit a 1-0 sinker over the left field wall to send Seattle home for the winter.

Muñoz not blaming anyone for decision to leave him in bullpen

Oct 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) hits a three run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game seven of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

It had to be absolutely gut-wrenching for Muñoz, one of the top relievers in all of baseball, to watch the game be lost before he could toe the rubber. But the All-Star still wanted to make something clear after the game: He blames no one for leaving him waiting in the wings in such a crucial moment.

“Everybody was ready," Muñoz said, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. But in that moment, they thought that was the best decision, and we all support that, because we've been doing that through the whole season. So today it didn't work. It doesn't mean that they made a wrong call. It was just that today wasn't the day. That's it.”

Muñoz is saying all the right things as a teammate there, and he'll almost certainly be back in Seattle for at least one more year, so there's definitely no reason to go around ruffling feathers.

However, the simple fact of the matter is that the Mariners let one of the greatest postseason clutch hitters of all time beat them in what was almost guaranteed to be the half-inning that decided the season, and opted not to use their best possible pitcher to combat him.

It was indefensible in the moment, and it's more indefensible now that we've had some time to digest it. Bazardo had a great season and should be applauded for his improvements, but there's a reason casual fans know Muñoz's name and not his.

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