Erik Swanson Has Been an Elite Reliever For Seattle Mariners

After being acquired as a beginning pitcher from the Yankees within the James Paxton deal, Erik Swanson struggled mightily as a starter. However final season, he moved to the bullpen full-time and hasn’t appeared again. 

Swanson depends on a 3 pitch combine that he roughly makes use of equally, particularly for a reliever. His first providing is a four-seam fastball with above-average spin, and effectively above-average extension in direction of house plate. He’ll throw it to each righties and lefties about 53 % of the time. 

Swanson additionally sports activities a nasty splitter and an above-average slider. He makes use of the slider towards righties, and the splitter towards left-handed hitters. 

The Fargo, North Dakota resident has thrown 43 innings this season, and has solely allowed simply 4 runs in that point. That is an unimaginable feat, particularly when a substantial quantity of these innings have are available in high-leverage conditions.

Swanson has a Okay/9 of 11.30 on the season and an ERA of simply 0.84. He could possibly problem Casey Sadler’s franchise file of 0.67 from final season. 

Amongst all relievers, Swanson is close to the highest when it comes to worth in 2022. Whereas former Mariners reliever Edwin Díaz leads the league by a large margin with 2.5 fWAR, Swanson isn’t too far down the record. 

The 28-year previous right-hander has produced 1.4 fWAR this season, tied for thirteenth in all of MLB. He’s second on Seattle when it comes to reliever worth, rating simply barely behind Andrés Muñoz (1.5). 

The event of Swanson has been unimaginable, and intensely essential to the Seattle bullpen.