Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais weighs in on his bullpen development in 2024

SEATTLE — The development of the Seattle Mariners bullpen has been a major reason for the team’s success in recent weeks.

Andres Munoz put together an All-Star season, while Collin Snider improved to become a legitimate bullpen asset for the team. The acquisition of JT Chargois and Yimi Garcia in a trade also helped bolster the bullpen in a big way, giving the team more depth in the middle and late innings.

The Mariners are looking to add another player following the recent injury to Gregory Santos and hope to find one with the recent call-up of Double-A Arkansas pitcher Troy Taylor.

However, the need for relief pitchers steadily declined as the season progressed.

“I feel a lot better and I have a lot more confidence in the guys and how they’re settling in,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said in a pregame interview Saturday. “(Chargois) is throwing the ball really well. He looks like the old (Chargois) when we had him before. And that’s what really gets me going. … I think what (Collin Snider) has added to our group has really made a difference. Voth has been all over the map in the different roles he’s played.

“… (Trent Thornton) has taken on some roles, we’ve got to get (Tayler Saucedo) back and get him going again. We’ve had him pretty big — he’s been sick, probably the last three or four days he hasn’t been feeling his best. So he’s available tonight. … And with (Garcia) and (Andres Munoz) on the other side — I feel a lot better now than I did maybe a couple weeks ago.”

Snider, Munoz, Chargois and Garcia are the stars of Seattle’s bullpen. Munoz hasn’t allowed a run since June 26; Snider had a 0.71 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 13 appearances in July; Garcia has allowed just two earned runs and two hits in six appearances with the Mariners since the team acquired him, and Chargois has allowed just two walks and no runs in four appearances since returning to Seattle.

The Mariners have a history of playing in close games, so the bullpen will likely take center stage in the final two months of the season.

If relievers continue to improve their game like this, close games will likely be much less stressful for fans.

MARINERS CALLING TAYLOR: The Seattle Mariners signed young pitcher Troy Taylor to the mound on Saturday, making Taylor’s major league debut. CLICK HERE

MARINERS MANAGER COMMENTS ON MEETING WITH FORMER RELIGATOR: The Seattle Mariners will face the New York Mets in the first of a three-game homestand beginning Friday, and they will feature a familiar face in former All-Star quarterback Edwin Diaz.CLICK HERE

WOO ACHIEVES INCREDIBLE NUMBERS: Bryan Woo is one of the league’s best pitchers, and his stats after his first game against the Detroit Tigers are impressive. CLICK HERE

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