PEORIA, Ariz. -- It’s becoming increasingly clear that the Mariners will need a No. 5 starter when they break camp and voyage to Seattle for Opening Day.
And how they handle that spot -- as Bryce Miller works back from left oblique inflammation -- has all of a sudden become the most pressing question for a roster that otherwise didn’t have any throughout Spring Training.
Will it be incumbent injury fill-in Emerson Hancock? Or newcomer Cooper Criswell?
Kade Anderson (ranked by MLB Pipeline as Seattle's No. 2 prospect) was never a legitimate option despite his promising spring, given that the Cactus League slate was his first foray into pro baseball. He was also reassigned to Minors camp on Saturday.
So it’s essentially down to Hancock and Criswell for that spot, which presumably would first come up during the fifth game of the regular season, on March 30 against the Yankees at T-Mobile Park.
“These are the things we're going to have to look at over the next three, four or five days,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said, “is to figure out how we want to roll going into the season. We're getting to that point in spring here, and those are the decisions that need to be made.”
On paper, when pitchers and catchers reported one month ago, Seattle’s rotation depth looked thin beyond its five regulars. That was compounded by right-hander Logan Evans, who was coming off a solid rookie season, undergoing Tommy John surgery in January.
But the Nos. 6-8 spots have raised their floor over these past five weeks. And while spring stats should always be taken with a caveat, it’s more the results beyond the box score that have shined.
“We've talked, again, about depth and what we need, and all the pitchers we're going to have to rely on as the season goes on,” Wilson said. “This is always a good thing. It's kind of a luxury that we have it.”
Hancock’s fastballs have averaged 95.5 mph, while topping out at 97.4 mph, helping him generate 17 strikeouts among 44 batters faced (38.6%). It’s been a notable uptick compared to last spring, when he was at 94.5 mph. More telling, he has just one walk and one homer surrendered. He’s induced whiffs on 44% of the sliders and sweepers he’s thrown, and relying on those offspeeds will be vital if he returns to a starting role.
“It just blends really well with the arsenal,” Hancock said. “I think playing east to west, it gives you something that can get chase. But I think it plays the speed game and the break game. It's not something that I'm trying to throw as hard as I possibly can. It's something I'm convicted in. I'm just trying to keep it over the plate.”
Hancock probably has the leg up in this race, given that he’s explicitly filled this role over each of the past two seasons. Last spring, he broke camp taking over for George Kirby (shoulder), and the year prior, it was Bryan Woo (forearm).
But Criswell has made things interesting, and the fact that he’s out of Minor League options should solidify him a roster spot, at the very least as a long reliever. The Mariners haven’t explicitly had one in recent memory, as that role has become less in vogue across the sport. But if there was ever a time where a long reliever would be beneficial, it’s April, when starters’ workloads are still monitored closely.
“I don't feel like it changes really a ton for me as far as just everyday preparation,” Criswell said, “making sure my body is feeling good, staying hydrated, eating well, getting your sleep. Because this has been a role that I've played for years now.”
Criswell, who made 18 starts as recently as 2024 with Boston, has a four-pitch mix that leans heavily on a sinker and changeup, both of which generate a ton of depth for swing-and-miss at the bottom of the zone. But he also has a sweeper and cutter that help readjust hitters’ eyes. In 21 career starts, he has a 3.54 ERA.
As for Anderson, his time is coming -- just not now. Had this situation surfaced later this summer, and Anderson had already established himself with Double-A Arkansas or Triple-A Tacoma, this might be a different conversation.
“Not having been through any professional season yet,” Wilson said, “there is just so much that you need to learn going through something like that. You can't put enough value on that.”
So, this figures to be a two-man race with a clear frontrunner. But we won’t know for sure until this upcoming week.