Former Seatle Mariners Pitcher Highlights Major Need For Team Heading into 2025
The Seattle Mariners went 85-77 in 2024, missing the playoffs by one game for the second consecutive year. It was an immensely frustrating year for Seattle, who squandered a 10.0 game lead in the American League West and fired manager Scott Servais as a result of a poor mid-June through late-August.
As the M's look to flip the script in 2025, they have several needs. First, the team needs to acquire more offense. The biggest reason why Seattle missed the playoffs is because of a lack of ability offensively to support its great pitching staff. They have needs at first, second and third base to fill as part of that goal as well.
However, there's also another big need, according to former Mariners reliever Charlie Furbush. Speaking on an M's roundtable on Seattle Sports 710, Furbush said he wants to see the Mariners acquire a shut-down lefty reliever.
“I think we need someone that’s gonna come in and get that big lefty out,” Furbush said. “It acts like a mini closer, if you will, to be able to shut down the big lefties, and we’re just going to continue to see them. So hopefully the Mariners can get a nice lefty here.”
Furbush isn't wrong: The Mariners haven't had a dominant lefty in years. Gabe Speier and Tayler Saucedo have had stretches of effectiveness but they aren't the kind of lefty that Furbush is talking about.
Even previously, the team utilized right-hander Erik Swanson as a guy who could get lefties out because of his elite splitter.
Furbush spent part of five seasons with the Mariners, going 12-21 with a 4.02 ERA.
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