Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the club has claimed right-handed pitcher Evan Marshall off waivers from Arizona. To make room on the Major League 40-man roster, left-handed pitcher Drew Smyly has been transferred to 60-day disabled list.
Marshall, 26 (27 on April 18), has been optioned and will report to AAA Tacoma. He was designated for assignment on March 28 after posting a 3.38 ERA (2 ER, 5.1 IP) in six Cactus League appearances with Arizona. In 15 appearances with Arizona last season, he posted an 8.80 ERA (15 ER, 15.1 IP) with 9 strikeouts in 15 relief appearances. With AAA Reno, he was 1-1 with a 4.59 ERA (17 ER, 33.1 IP) with 28 strikeouts in 33 relief appearances. He was on the minor league disabled list Aug. 24-31 with a right lumbar spine strain.
In parts of three Major League seasons, he is 4-7 with a 4.50 ERA (39 ER, 78.0 IP) with 70 strikeouts in 85 relief appearances. In six minor league seasons, he is 13-14 with a 3.77 ERA (92 ER, 219.2 IP) with 189 strikeouts in 201 games. He was selected by Arizona in the 4th round of the 2011 MLB First-year Player Draft out of Kansas State University.
Smyly, 27, was placed on the 10-day disabled list April 2 (retro to March 30) with a left arm flexor strain after he appeared in three Cactus League games with Seattle this spring, going 1-0 with a 5.00 ERA (5 ER, 9.0 IP) with 6 strikeouts. He also made one appearance with Team USA, striking out eight in 4.2 innings while allowing just one unearned run on March 15 vs. Team Venezuela.
The left-hander established career-highs last season with 30 starts, 175.1 innings and 167 strikeouts. He finished the season 7-12 with a 4.88 ERA (95 ER, 175.1 IP) with 167 strikeouts in 30 starts with Tampa Bay. Among left-handed pitchers last season, Smyly ranked 7th in fewest walks-per-9.0-innings with a mark of 2.52 (49 BB, 175.1 IP). Over his final 12 starts of the season, he was 5-1 with a 3.73 ERA (29 ER, 70.0 IP) after opening the year 2-11 with a 5.64 ERA (66 ER, 105.1 IP) in his first 18 starts. He recorded four double-digit strikeout games, a mark topped by only three American League pitchers: Boston's David Price (7), Detroit's Justin Verlander (7) and Tampa Bay's Chris Archer (6). He was one of 10 American League left-handers to make 30 starts and toss at least 175.1 innings last season.
In five Major League seasons with Detroit (2012-14) and Tampa Bay (2014-16), the left-hander is 31-27 with a 3.74 ERA (237 ER, 570.1 IP) with 552 strikeouts in 156 games, including 85 starts. He was originally selected by Detroit in the 2nd round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft and was traded to Tampa Bay as part of the David Price deal between the Tigers, Rays and Mariners on July 31, 2014.