By Bob Dutton
The News Tribune
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The late Wednesday acquisition of right-hander Chris Heston from San Francisco reaffirmed the always-tinkering approach the Mariners now exhibit under general manager Jerry Dipoto.
“You’re always looking to get better,” Dipoto said. “For as long as I’m here, you’ll see the depth moves will be constant. We’ll always do things like that.”
Heston is the 14th new addition to the Mariners’ 40-man roster since their season ended. He is also the sort of low-risk bet on a bounce-back player that has become an organizational staple under Dipoto.
While Heston, 28, missed much of last season due to an oblique injury, he was 12-11 with a 3.95 ERA for the Giants over 31 starts in 2015.
Heston also comes at low cost; he is not yet eligible for arbitration, which should keep his salary next season under $600,000. Plus, he has one option remaining, which checks the box on another of Dipoto’s prized qualities: flexibility.
What Heston doesn’t do is answer the club’s desire to acquire a reliable veteran pitcher for their rotation. Heston is organizational depth; Dipoto confirmed the Mariners are still looking for more of a sure thing.
“The rotation is something we will address in some form,” he said. “Whether that’s now or in January or as we get closer to spring training, I don’t know. Our intention is to focus on trades first and use free agency as a backup.”
The Mariners were linked to several trade candidates over the four days that comprised the Winter Meetings, which concluded Thursday at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center just south of Washington, D.C.
Those included:
***Left-hander Scott Kazmir and right-hander Brandon McCarthy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both are coming off injury-interrupted seasons and sport significant guaranteed salaries over the next two years.
Kazmir is owed $32 million, and McCarthy is owed $20 million. Any deal is likely to hinge on the Dodgers’ willingness to eat at least a portion of those salaries.
***Left-hander Drew Pomeranz and right-hander Clay Buchholz of the Boston Red Sox. The Mariners appear to prefer Pomeranz, who might not be available. Boston is eager to unload Buchholz, who is owed $13.5 million for 2017.
***Cincinnati right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, who is also coming off an oblique injury that limited him last season to 20 starts. He is just 26 and isn’t yet eligible for arbitration.
The Reds are seeking bullpen help, and the Mariners have 14 full-time relievers (and at least two swingman candidates) on their 40-man roster because of their ongoing depth-building efforts.
“We do like the depth that we’ve created in our total pitching staff,” Dipoto said. “We’ve probably got 15 guys in the mix in the bullpen.”
RULE 5 DRAFT
The Mariners, with no openings on their 40-man roster, were prohibited from making a selection Thursday in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft. They did make two picks in the minor-league phase:
***Left-handed pitcher Paul Paez, 24, from the New York Mets, who was a combined 4-1 with a 3.88 ERA in 34 relief appearances at Hi-A St. Lucie (20) and Double-A Binghamton .
“Paez is a left-handed pitcher who throws strikes,” assistant general manager Jeff Kingston said. “He can really spin a breaking ball and has had a lot of success in the minor leagues.”
***Center fielder Chuck Taylor, 23, from Arizona, a switch-hitter who batted .261 with a .354 on-base percentage in 83 games at Hi-A Visalia (42) and Double-A Mobile.
“Taylor fits our organization really well,” Kinston said. “He controls the zone. He gets on base. He’s got a good defensive skill set. We think he can really help us in (Double-A) Arkansas next year.”
The Mariners also lost two players, including right-handed pitcher Kevin Gadea, 22, to Tampa Bay in the Major League phase. He was a combined 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA in 15 games, including eight starts, at Lo-A Clinton and Rookie Peoria.
“He’s a prospect, for sure,” Kingston said. “He came on strong this year for us. Finished the year in Clinton and pitched really well. He’s pitching well in winter ball right now. He’s been durable. We liked him. A good-looking kid.”
The Mariners also lost outfielder Austin Wilson in the minor-league phase to St. Louis. He batted just .226 last season with 13 homers and 49 RBIs in 104 games at Hi-A Bakersfield,
Wilson, 24, was a second-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft but has rarely played to his potential.
“Austin had a really nice year two years ago in Clinton,” Kingston said, “then he got hurt. He just never was really able to get on track after that. He struggled the last couple of years in the Cal League.
“He’s a great kid. A hard worker. Big upside. Has the tools. Just hasn’t been able to translate them into skills the last couple of years.”
Clubs pay $100,000 to select a player in the Major League phase of the draft, and he must remain on a 25-man active roster (or disabled list) for the entire next season or be offered back to his former club for $50,000.
Clubs pay $24,000 to choose a player in the minor-league phase and have his rights with no restrictions until he reaches eligibility as a minor-league free agent.
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