Settle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto today announced that the Mariners have acquired switch-handed pitcher Pat Venditte from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a player to be named later. To make room on the Mariners Major League 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Donn Roach has been designated for assignment.
Venditte, 31, will report to AAA Tacoma. He posted a 5.19 ERA (5 ER, 8.2 IP) with 7 strikeouts and 4 walks in 8 relief appearances with Toronto this season. In 25 games, including 2 starts, with AAA Buffalo this season, Venditte was 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA (17 ER, 35.0 IP) with 52 strikeouts and 13 walks. Venditte is the first known full-time ambidextrous pitcher in Major League history.
In parts of two Major League seasons with Oakland (2015) and Toronto (2016), Venditte is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA (19 ER, 37.1 IP) with 30 strikeouts and 16 walks in 34 career games. Over 9 minor league season with the Yankees, Athletics and Blue Jays organizations, Venditte compiled a career record of 20-23 with a 2.54 ERA (131 ER, 464.1 IP) with 528 strikeouts and 131 walks. He was originally selected in the 20th round of the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft by New York--AL out of Creighton University.
Roach, 26, was 2-0 with an 8.44 ERA (5 ER, 5.1 IP) with 2 strikeouts and 2 walks in 4 relief appearances over two stints with the Mariners this season. Roach earned the win on Tuesday (August 2) vs. Boston, tossing 2.0 innings in relief while allowing 1 run on 1 hit and 1 hit batsman, in his only appearance since being recalled on August 1. In 22 games (17 starts) with AAA Tacoma this season, Roach is 6-6 with 1 save with a 4.01 ERA (49 ER, 108.0 IP) with 62 strikeouts and 19 walks. Roach originally signed with Seattle as a minor league free agent on Dec. 5, 2015.