"The Mariners have agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Guillo Zuñiga, per the team's transaction log at MLB.com. The former Cardinals and Angels reliever had been with the Phillies on a minor league deal but was granted his release earlier in the week. Zuñiga, 26, has pitched in the majors in each of the past two seasons, totaling 19 2/3 frames between St. Louis and Anaheim. He's allowed 11 earned runs (5.03 ERA) on 16 hits and eight walks with a dozen strikeouts."
"While Zuñiga has yet to find much success in the majors or even in Triple-A, he still has plenty of appealing traits. He's averaging 96.9 mph on his four-seamer this season in Triple-A and is sporting a 12.3% swinging-strike rate that's north of the major league average. He's not inducing enough chases off the plate, but opponents have made contact at a well below average 73.7% clip overall - including a weak 79.5% on pitches within the strike zone."
"Opponents also had a hard time making high-impact contact against Zuñiga, evidenced by a tepid 87.7 mph average exit velocity and 32.5% hard-hit rate. This year's 46.9% grounder rate is a strong mark that's notably higher than his recent seasons in the upper minors, perhaps due to throwing fewer fastballs and ramping up the usage of his slider and changeup."
Mariners signed 26-year-old right-hander Guillo Zuñiga to a minor-league contract after the Phillies granted his release. Zuñiga has 19 2/3 major-league innings across the past two seasons with a 5.03 ERA and recorded a 5.14 ERA in 42 Triple-A innings in 2025, with a 23.5% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate. His four-seamer averaged 96.9 mph and he posted a 12.3% swinging-strike rate, while opponents made contact at a 73.7% clip and produced an 87.7 mph average exit velocity and 32.5% hard-hit rate. A 46.9% grounder rate and increased slider/changeup usage appear to have altered his batted-ball profile. Seattle's late-inning relief is strong overall but contains a few unsettled spots.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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