Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the club has added right-handed pitcher Erik Swanson to the Mariners 40-man roster.
With the addition of Swanson, Seattle's 40-man roster is now at 35 players.
Swanson, 25, was acquired by the Mariners from the Yankees in a 4-player trade yesterday. He split the 2018 season between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 8-2 with a 2.58 ERA (33 ER, 115.0 IP) in 22 games, 20 starts. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-handed pitcher averaged 10.41 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (133 SO, 115.0 IP), while limiting opponents to a .204 (85x416) opponents' batting average. He allowed 3 runs or fewer in 17 of his 20 starts, including 7 straight starts allowing 1 run or fewer from April 10-May 15. During this 7-game stretch, he went 4-0 with a 0.46 ERA (2 ER, 39.0 IP) while walking 14 and striking out 49. Swanson spent two stints on the disabled list last season with a right groin strain, June 13-July 14 and Sept. 8-24. He also made 2 starts on a rehabilitation assignment with Short-Season-A Staten Island, July 5-12, going 0-0 with a 4.05 ERA (3 ER, 6.2 IP).
In 5 minor league seasons with Texas (2014-16) and New York-AL (2016-18), Swanson is 23-12 with 2 saves and a 3.35 ERA (133 ER, 357.0 IP) in 93 games, 59 starts. The native of Cincinnati, OH, was originally selected by the Rangers in the 8th round of the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Iowa Western Community College. He was acquired by the Yankees from the Rangers along with right-handed pitchers Dillon Tate and Nick Green in exchange for outfielder Carlos Beltran on Aug. 1, 2016.