Mariners sign former Texas Rangers starter to minor league contract
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The Seattle Mariners have reportedly signed veteran right-handed pitcher Dane Dunning to a minor league contract. He was once part of the Texas Rangers' starting rotation and made 95 starts and appeared in 122 games overall for Texas from 2021 to 2025.
Dunning, 31, had a career season in 2023, going 12-7 with a 3.70 ERA. He also made three relief appearances in the World Series to help Texas take home the Commissioner's Trophy that year. However, he fell off considerably in 2025, logging an inflated 6.97 ERA in just 12 relief appearances for the Rangers and Atlanta Braves.
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Dunning is known for his solid repertoire on the mound. He has a mid-90s four-seam fastball, a sharp slider, and a sinker. He also mixes in a changeup and a curveball on occasion, but the slider and the sinker are most often his primary weapons.
Dunning will compete for a bullpen spot
Dunning's versatility and ability to go multiple innings definitely make him a contender for a long reliever's role in the M's bullpen. Given that he's shown an ability to be a successful starter in the past, it's not unreasonable for the club and Dan Wilson to hand him the ball for two or three innings.
It’ll be interesting to see how he fits into the Mariners' bullpen and how they use him throughout the season. That is, if he makes the team. There's a strong possibility that Dunning will be riding shuttles from Triple-A to the Majors and back multiple times throughout the 2026 campaign.
