The Mariners have reached a minor league agreement with veteran left-hander, as first reported by Aram Leighton of Just Baseball. The deal likely includes an invite to major league Spring Training.
Pomeranz, 36, has 11 MLB seasons under his belt but hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021. Early in his career, he alternated between starting and relieving, with better results out of the bullpen. Over his first eight seasons, Pomeranz posted a 3.92 ERA (110 ERA+) and a 4.14 FIP across 710 innings, including 122 starts and 74 relief appearances. However, his 2019 season began poorly with the Giants, where he struggled in a hybrid role, logging a 5.68 ERA and 5.24 FIP in 77 2/3 innings.
The Giants traded Pomeranz to the Brewers at the 2019 trade deadline, and Milwaukee transitioned him into a full-time reliever. The move paid off, as he delivered a dominant 2.39 ERA, 2.68 FIP, and a remarkable 45% strikeout rate down the stretch. That success earned him a lucrative four-year, $34 million deal with the Padres before the 2020 season. When healthy, Pomeranz excelled in San Diego, recording a stellar 1.62 ERA, 2.75 FIP, and 33.7% strikeout rate during the contract.
Injuries, however, derailed his tenure with the Padres. Shoulder, forearm, and elbow issues limited him to just 44 1/3 innings over the four years, and he didn’t pitch in the majors in 2022 or 2023. During that time, he signed minor league deals with the Angels and Dodgers but failed to secure a spot on either club’s roster. He briefly joined the Giants in May but was designated for assignment without appearing in a game. In total, he made eight Triple-A appearances for the Dodgers in 2023, struggling to a 6.00 ERA despite an impressive 37.8% strikeout rate.
Pomeranz’s ability to generate strikeouts likely caught the Mariners’ attention, prompting them to take a low-risk chance on him. If healthy, he could bolster Seattle’s bullpen, which already features standout arms like Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash, Collin Snider, and Gregory Santos but lacks a reliable left-handed late-inning option.
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