The Sailors they are the last (or most recent) team to show interest in the Mexican free agent reliever, Joakim Soria |noted MLB Network journalist Jon Morosi tweeted. Seattle joins the Twins, the Blue Jays and the four rivals of the Mariners AL West as teams tied to the Soria market at some point during the offseason.
Naturally, the entire AL West got a good look at Soria when he pitched for the Athletics in 2019-20, and the amount of interest is not surprising considering how Soria has continued to deliver results as he approaches his season of 37. years.
Soria from Coahuila posted a 2.82 ERA in 22 1/3 innings in 2020 and did a very good job of keeping the ball in the park (allowing just one home run) and limiting hard contact (particularly in terms of barrel percentage). On the other hand, Soria’s 25K% was in the middle of the pack, its 10.4 BB% ranked only at the 31st percentile, and its 4.36 SIERA painted a much less impressive picture than its ERA.
Still, even with some expected regression, Soria’s durability record is strong enough that a team can expect him to be a positive addition to a bullpen.
Soria worked in a set-up position in Oakland and would likely take on similar duties on his next team, although it has been some time since his heyday as a closer with the Kansas City Royals, Soria could also be called up for an occasional save opportunity if needed.
The bullpen has pretty much been the main focus of the Mariners’ offseason thus far, as the Mariners acquired Rafael Montero from the Rangers, signed Keynan Middleton and re-signed Kendall Graveman.
Adding Soria would add an even more experienced and durable relief arm to the mix, perhaps a smart investment considering that Montero, Middleton and Graveman have had Tommy John surgery in the past three years.
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