Mariners Acquire LHP Ryan Borucki From Blue Jays
The Mariners have made a trade, acquiring left-handed reliever Ryan Borucki from Jays in exchange for 2020 fourth-round draft pick Tyler Keenan. Borucki, who was designated for assignment on May 31, spent parts of five seasons with Toronto, posting a career 4.47 ERA in 75 games.
Borucki has struggled in 2022, appearing in 11 games but throwing just 6.1 innings while striking out eight and walking five. The 6-foot-4 southpaw features a sinker/slider heavy mix while throwing the occasional changeup. He's fared much better against left-handed hitters, holding them to a career .204/.282/.288 slash line.
Keenan, meanwhile, is a notable loss in Seattle's farm system. The 2020 fourth-round pick posted extremely enticing exit velocities in his final year in the SEC and some believed there was an outside shot he could remain at third base. Unfortunately, Keenan never found his footing in pro ball, though he is having a decent year repeating a season in the Northwest League. He'll need to make major changes to his gameplan and swing—evident by his 129 strikeouts in just 316 at-bats.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Borucki, Seattle designated Mike Ford for assignment. Ford hit .182/.357/.212 in 42 plate appearances for the Mariners in 2022.
Borucki is out of minor league options, so he'll join the Mariners in Texas—whether it be in Arlington or Houston—though the date of his arrival has yet to be announced. He'll join Anthony Misiewicz and Roenis Elías as lefties in Seattle's bullpen, though it appears likely he'll be deployed as more of a situational arm.
Borucki uses a 95 MPH fastball and an 87 MPH slider or cutter as his primary weapons. The Mariners have had success helping arms similar to his, and their track record makes any reliever acquisition an interesting one.
