Seattle Mariners Reliever Troy Taylor Will Miss Beginning of Spring Training
In this story:
The Seattle Mariners bullpen was hit with injuries and inconsistency in 2024, leading to a lot of blown saves and leads.
The bullpen was able to get better as the season progressed despite the ailments. And that was due, in part, to the emergence of a rookie reliever.
Troy Taylor was called up from the Mariners' Double-A team, the Arkansas Travelers, on Aug. 10 and made his major league debut on Aug. 11 during ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball against the New York Mets.
The rookie Seattle reliever made the most of his opportunity and became a high leverage reliever who often pitched in the seventh or eighth inning of close games. There was anticipation on what a healthy bullpen featuring Taylor, Andres Munoz, Collin Snider, Gregory Santos and Matt Brash could look like.
Two strikeouts during your big-league debut on @espn’s Sunday Night Baseball? That’ll do.
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 12, 2024
Congrats, Troy Taylor! pic.twitter.com/h1T1LzJeOa
Unfortunately, it will be a little longer before fans will be able to see those group of relievers together.
Mariners President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto was on a news conference via Zoom on Feb. 3. During that conference, Dipoto said that Taylor will miss at least the beginning of spring training and possibly part of the regular season with a lat strain.
"We are going to be without Troy Taylor for a little bit at the start of spring training," Dipoto said in the Zoom conference. "He's had a bit of a lat strain in his offseason workouts that popped up about a week ago. And we're going to take it easy on him with the throwing when we get started. So he's more TBD. And we would expect that there's at least some potential that he's going to have to start the season down in Arizona rather than with the club as he ramps into the throwing speed."
Taylor finished his rookie season with a 3.72 ERA across 21 appearances with 25 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched.
If Taylor misses a portion of the season, it wouldn't be good for a bullpen that's already set to feature some pitchers who are coming off respective injuries.
But, if the rest of the relievers can maintain health until Taylor returns, he'll be under less pressure to jump right back into high leverage situations.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
MARINERS DFA CADE MARLOWE TO MAKE ROOM FOR JORGE POLANCO: The Seattle Mariners chose to DFA the seldom-used outfielder in a corresponding move to make room for Jorge Polanco. CLICK HERE
RANDY AROZARENA SAW DIFFERENCE IN HITTING AT HOME AND ON THE ROAD IN 2024: Seattle Mariners 2024 trade acquisition, Randy Arozarena, was marginally worse at home compared to when he was playing away. CLICK HERE
MARINERS MANAGER TALKS PITCHING STAFF, URGENCY TO MAKE PLAYOFFS: Dan Wilson appeared on Wyman & Bob on Seattle Sports 710 and lauded the team's hurlers while emphasizing the focus on returning to the playoffs. CLICK HERE
Follow Seattle Mariners on SI on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE.
