10 potential trade targets for the Colorado Rockies from the Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners reliever Drew Steckenrider could be a bullpen option for the Colorado Rockies

Drew Steckenrider is entering his second season with the Seattle Mariners and after being a fringe reliever for the Miami Marlins in 2019 and being injured for all of 2020, he came a long way to be Seattle’s closer.

Steckenrider, who turns 31 in a few weeks, started off his career with two good seasons with Miami starting in 2017. In 2017, he appeared in 37 games and had a 2.34 ERA, a 3.10 FIP, a 1.385 WHIP, and a great strikeout rate of 14 K/9. In 2018, he appeared in 71 games with a 3.90 ERA with five saves, a 3.62 FIP, a 1.268 WHIP, a better walk rate (3.8 BB/9, which was down from 4.7 BB/9 in 2017), and a good strikeout rate (10.3 K/9).

However, in 2019, he wasn’t good and he was injured (right elbow inflammation). He had a 6.28 ERA (7.96 FIP) with Miami in 15 appearances, which put him on the fringe of their bullpen. That topped off with a 2020 season wiped out by injury meant that he signed a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite with Seattle for 2021.

He made the team and was, arguably, their best reliever. In 62 games, he had an ERA of 2.00. He also had a 3.35 FIP and a 1.02 WHIP. He eventually became their closer after they traded their closer, Kendall Graveman, to their divisional rival, the Houston Astros. Steckenrider recorded 14 saves as he was their closer in their hunt for the playoffs.

Steckenrider is arbitration-eligible for the second time this offseason and is slated to make $2.1 million in arbitration.