Mariners sign RHP Chris Devenski to MLB contract; C Seby Zavala is recalled

It only took about a decade, but Chris Devenski is finally a Mariner. The veteran right-hander is the Mariner relief pitcher who was never really a Mariner. Since the Astros released him in 2020, he’s quickly switched clubs: Since then, he’s been with the Diamondbacks, Phillies, Angels and most recently the Tampa Bay Rays, who traded Devenski back on the 25th and then traded him back again when no other club had interest. The Mariners signed Devenski to an MLB contract and sent him to Tacoma, where he will serve as a backup to a bullpen that has been stretched to the breaking point by injuries and ineffectiveness this season.

That Devenski, now 33, is an attractive addition to the team currently playing in Tacoma is emblematic of how thin the relief corps (or “pitching pile,” as we like to call it around here) is. Devenski’s .547 xSLG is in the bottom 1% of MLB, and opponents are often putting pressure on him; he’s also walking more batters than ever before—perhaps because the Rays are letting him throw his changeup more often than his four-seamer. An MLB-experienced reliever provides an extra safety net in Tacoma and balances out the inexperienced team in Arkansas, but unless the Mariners have some secret sauce they want to dish up for Devenski, he’ll likely remain in the “emergency glass breaker” role in Tacoma.

In addition to signing Devenski, the Mariners have brought back catcher Seby Zavala to provide some insurance in case Mitch Garver is sidelined with wrist soreness after being hit by a pitch in Sunday’s game. X-rays were negative, but Scott Servais described Garver as “sore” and he will not play in today’s game despite having yesterday off to give the pain time to subside. To make room for Zabala, the Mariners have sent left-hander Jhonathan Díaz back to Tacoma, where he will wait until the Mariners need another reliever.