Seattle Mariners Reliever Gregory Santos and His Jordan Shoes Ready For Healthy Season in 2025
PEORIA, Ariz. — The Seattle Mariners bullpen was dealt a bad hand with injuries and inconsistencies in 2024. And one of the relievers afflicted with the most ailments was right-hander Gregory Santos.
Santos was thought to be one of the better gets for the Mariners last season. Seattle acquired him in a trade that sent RHP Prelander Berroa, outfielder Zach DeLoach and future considerations to the Chicago White Sox on Feb. 3, 2024.
Santos was dealt after the best year of his career. In 2023 with the White Sox, Santos made 60 appearances and posted a 3.39 ERA. He struck out 66 batters in 66.1 innings pitched. It was the only season of his career since he debuted in 2021 in which he had double-digit outings.
The expectation was that Santos would join and strengthen the back-end of the bullpen that, at the time, included Andres Munoz and Matt Brash.
Brash missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John Surgery. And Santos nearly missed the entire year, himself.
Santos had two separate stints on the injured list — a right lat strain that kept him out from the beginning of last season to July 8, and right biceps inflammation that had him on the shelf from Aug. 1-Sept. 23. These injuries limited to him to a 4.91 ERA in eight appearances with six strikeouts in 7.1 innings pitched.
Gregory Santos, Vicious 90mph Slider. 😤 pic.twitter.com/z0ZRe1GSYS
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 24, 2024
This spring, Santos is healthy and is looking forward to putting together a full season with Seattle.
"I feel really good. That's what we prepared for," Santos said via translator Freddy Llanos on Wednesday. "I'm still preparing myself to be healthy. Last year was a little difficult, but you just got to keep your head up."
Santos' competitive nature is something that has been complimented by team executives. And the injuries were frustrating. But he's had a full year of getting to learn the Mariners system and is in an environment at big league camp where improving through internal competition is encouraged.
"It's feels good," Santos said. "I mean, it's practically been over a year since I've been in spring training. Being able to integrate myself with the team since the very beginning ... everything was pretty good. Everything feels pretty good right now."
A trademark for Santos, aside from his 100-mph fastball, is the Jordan 13 cleats he pitches with. The sneaker has become something of a trademark for Santos in his big league career. And there's a practical and personal reason for that.
"My dad used them a lot," Santos said. "And I would always try them on when he didn't have them on. But they're very comfortable, it's a very comfortable shoe. And I thought, 'they're comfortable to wear, why not pitching?' And I've just gotten used to them — to having them out there. ... It's just the model I wear. If another shoe comes out and it's more comfortable than the one I wear, I'd happily wear it. But they got to be Jordan's. That's my shoe."
Santos has a slider and sinker to go with his triple-digit fastball, per Baseball Savant. His slider generated a whiff rate of 22.9% and a put-away rate of 20% in his limited action in 2024.
If Santos can put together a healthy season and utilize his high velocity to the best of his ability, then he thinks there could be a lot success in store for 2025.
"Obviously (the big thing) is just trying to stay healthy," Santos said. "And who knows? Maybe get there in an All-Star game. Who knows?"
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
TAKEAWAYS FROM SEATTLE MARINERS 7-6 LOSS AGAINST KANSAS CITY ROYALS: Bryan Woo and Julio Rodriguez shined for the Mariners on Wednesday against the Royals, though the bullpen faltered. CLICK HERE
MATT BRASH LOOKS SOLID IN FIRST LIVE BULLPEN: The Seattle Mariners pitcher threw against batters for the first time in camp Wednesday, albeit in a very controlled environment. CLICK HERE
MARINERS CLOSER ANDRES MUNOZ DISCUSSES NEW PITCH, MENTALITY: The All-Star reliever talked more about adding to his elite arsenal and the bullpen's mentality going into 2025.CLICK HERE
Follow Seattle Mariners on SI on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE.
