Ken Giles has 115 career MLB saves in seven seasons. (Getty)
The sailors have added another reliever, not yet. A baseball source confirms that the Mariners agree to a several-year contract with reliever Ken Giles. The 30-year-old right-hander was operated on by Tommy John in October and is unlikely to be released in 2021.
Four positions where sailors could still make signings for 2021
Giles is coming off an injury-reduced 2020 season, where he only made four appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays, allowing four runs.
In 2019, Giles posted an ERA of 1.87 with Toronto while earning 23 savings. Power pitcher Giles placed at the 98th percentile in batting and whiff percentages in 2019, as well as at the 94th percentile in speed with a fast ball averaging 97.4 mph and could hit 100. He also limited the batters at an average beat of .184.
The signing continues with a trend towards speed in the Mariners’ bullring by general manager Jerry Dipoto, who acquired Andrés Muñoz dels Padres in the 2020 commercial period, who re-signed Kendall Graveman shortly after the end of the season, changed by Rafael Montero to the Rangers on December 15, and signed Keynan Middleton on December 16. The group has more in common than speed, as the four lifeguards have also been operated on by Tommy John.
The return of Tommy John surgery usually falls at 14-16 months, and the results in recent years have been largely good. Although there has been controversy over the idea that pitchers can gain speed after surgery: Dr. Lewis Yocum, who worked alongside Dr. Frank Jobe, who pioneered surgery, believed that pitchers often had a deficit before surgery. giving the illusion of speed gain: many are re-formed.
Dipoto has not shied away from pitchers who left surgery with Marco Gonzales and Taijuan Walker working their way back in Mariners uniforms.
Jerry Dipoto is not shy about looking for Tommy John guys. If Giles is re-trained, that would be great for sailors. pic.twitter.com/eaHGhjMtfv
– Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) February 12, 2021
With the move, the 2022 bullring may look better with the possibility of multiple elite speed relays at the rear.
The deal with Giles is pending a physical contract, which should be completed early next week.
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