Per Ryan Divish, the Mariners are expected to move on from two veterans post-trade deadline: off-season acquisition Rob Refsnyder, and backup catcher Mitch Garver. C Jhonny Pereda is reportedly being called up to fill Garver’s spot.
It’s been a difficult tenure for both Refsnyder and Garver for the Mariners. Refsnyder was signed this off-season in a move widely praised by both analysts and fans given his long track record of right-handed hitting as a way to balance the Mariners’ lefty-heavy lineup.
Instead, Refsnyder battled first ineffectiveness, then injury, then ineffectiveness and injury, mustering just a 32 wRC+ in his time as a Mariner, his worst season as a pro. The Mariners gave the 35-year-old ample chances to turn things around, but his plate appearances were consistently tough watches, absent of his typical ability to control an at-bat; it always seemed like he was chasing the pitcher rather than the other way around. Nagging knee issues that bothered him all season might have contributed to his lack of production at the plate and limited his time in the field, where he was actually a productive outfielder. With fellow righty outfielder Taylor Ward acquired at the deadline, it seemed like Refsnyder’s days as a Mariner were numbered.
Garver, also 35, departs Seattle after the better part of three seasons with some of the worst offensive numbers of his career, but also as a valued member of the pitching staff, to the point where fellow catcher Cal Raleigh pitched the front office on a reunion with Garver this spring after his two-year deal with the Mariners ended. Pitchers liked throwing to Garver, especially Seattle’s young staff, as Garver shared Raleigh’s dedication to preparation and understanding of how to handle a pitching staff. Garver was also, along with Raleigh, among the best catchers in baseball in ABS challenges.
But Garver’s bat had unfortunately slowed by the time he arrived in Seattle, posting some of his worst offensive stats; one thing he was able to do consistently, however, was work a walk, a skill that helped the swing-happy Mariners lineup out more often than will show up on any stat line. But the Mariners, staring up at the Astros and Rangers in the division, are desperate for offense, so are willing to sacrifice Garver behind the dish for the bat of Jhonny Pereda, who showed well offensively in his time filling in for an injured Cal Raleigh and has continued to hit well in Tacoma since being optioned back down. With Cal Raleigh’s bat showing only the faintest signs of life in the second half, the Mariners are trading defense for offense and hoping Pereda can fill in for the right-handed impact they weren’t getting from the two veteran righties.
