Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto today announced that the Mariners have acquired right-handed pitcher David Phelps from the Miami Marlins in exchange for minor league outfielder Brayan Hernandez and minor league right-handed pitchers Pablo Lopez, Brandon Miller & Lukas Schiraldi.
"David was a target player for us headed into the deadline period," Dipoto said. "The quality of his work, particularly over the past two years in the bullpen, in addition to his versatility (including his background as starter) made him very attractive to us. He fits our roster very well and is controllable through the 2018 season."
Phelps, 30, is 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA (18 ER, 47.0 IP) in 44 appearances with the Marlins this season. Over his last 36 games (dating back to April 23), Phelps has a 2.19 ERA (9 ER, 37.0 IP) and a .195 batting average against (25x128) with 39 strikeouts and 19 walks. He had a career-long streak of 20.0 innings pitched without allowing an earned run from April 21-June 7. He entered play today 9th among all National League relievers in innings pitched and tie-second in holds (18). He has allowed just 2 earned runs at home this season (in 24.2 innings) and boasts a 0.73 home ERA. He has been nearly identical vs. right-handed batters and left-handers, holding righties to a .225 batting average against (.326 on-base) and lefties to .258 BAA with a .320 OBP.
In 2016, Phelps posted career-bests in wins (7), saves (4), strikeouts (114), ERA (2.28), opponents average against (.197) and holds (25). Overall, he was 7-6 with 4 saves and a 2.28 ERA in 64 games, tossing 86.2 innings. He struck out 11.8 batters per 9.0 innings pitched.
Phelps is pitching in his sixth big league season. He debuted with the New York Yankees in 2012 and pitched with them thru 2014 prior to being acquired by Miami on Dec. 19, 2014. He's pitched with the Marlins from 2015 on. David has a career mark of 28-32 with 5 saves and a 3.90 ERA in 218 MLB games, 64 starts. He is 18-20, 4.21 in 64 career starts, compared to 10-12, 3.33 in 154 career relief appearances.
Hernandez, 19 turns 20 on Sept. 11, has spent the majority of the season with Short-A Everett, but also appeared in 3 games with Triple-A Tacoma (6/5-9). In 28 games with Everett, Hernandez hit .252 (26x103) with 9 runs scored, 2 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 15 RBI and 4 stolen bases. Since July 3, he has reached base safely in 11 of 12 games, batting .286 (12x42) with 5 runs scored, 2 doubles, 2 triple, 1 home run, 8 RBI, 6 walks and 3 stolen bases.
Hernandez was originally signed by the Mariners as an international free agent on July 27, 2014. In 3 seasons with the Seattle organization, he hit .259 (141x545) with 84 runs scored, 24 doubles, 10 triples, 10 home runs, 71 RBI, 42 walks and 35 stolen bases in 145 career games.
Lopez, 21, was 5-8 with a 5.04 ERA (56 ER, 100.0 IP) in 19 games, 18 starts with High-A Modesto this season. He limited opponents to a .279 (113x405) average, while walking 13 and striking out 89. Lopez currently ranks 5th in the California League with a 1.26 WHIP, while also ranking 4th among all Mariners farmhands with 89 strikeouts.
Lopez was originally signed by Seattle as an international free agent on July 4, 2012. In 5 seasons with the Mariners organization, he went 21-11 with a 3.37 ERA (108 ER, 288.1 IP) in 60 games, 46 starts. Lopez missed the entire 2014 season after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on November 11, 2013.
Miller, 22, was 9-4 with a 3.65 ERA in 18 starts with Low-A Clinton this season. He struck out 94 while walking 23 in 101.0 innings pitched. He was named as a mid-season All-Star for the Midwest League.
Miller was drafted by Seattle in the 6th round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Millersville (PA) University, the highest draft pick in school history. He began his Seattle career with Short-A Everett in 2016, pitching in 14 games (13 starts) and posting a 4-2, 2.72 mark. In his pro career, he is 13-6 with a 3.32 ERA in 32 games, 31 starts.
Schiraldi, who turns 25 on July 25, was 2-1 with a 4.58 ERA and 3 saves (in 7 opportunities) in 28 relief appearances with High-A Modesto this season. He's struck out 63 in 37.1 innings (15.19 SO/9.0 IP) but walked 27. In his last 10 appearances (since June 8) he has 8 scoreless outings, but allowed 8 runs in the other two games.
Schiraldi was the Mariners 15th round selection in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the Univ. of Texas-Austin. He began his career that season with Everett and was a Midwest League All-Star in 2015 with Clinton. This is his first season as a full-time reliever. In his career, he is 13-23 with a 4.65 ERA and 3 saves in 97 games, 48 starts. He's struck out 316 in 284.1 innings, but walked 181 and thrown 79 wild pitches.