Seattle Mariners counting too much on a Felix Hernandez bounce back?
Return of the King
He’s also the most expensive player on the roster and has two years and roughly $54 million left on his contract, so the team will try to get as much out of him as they can. Heading into the offseason, Dipoto acknowledged that Hernandez would likely be on a more restrictive pitch count in 2018 to preserve his health. He may get those 25 starts, but they will likely be in outings of 80 to 90 pitches, rather than 100 to 110 pitches.
With Felix fading, the best starting pitcher on the roster is James Paxton, but he comes with question marks about his ability to stay healthy. He pitched a career-high 136 innings last year. The team would be happy to get 175 innings out of him this year.
Mike Leake should be a solid number three starter. He’s been a consistent 30-start guy for the last six years. As a pitch-to-contact guy, he doesn’t have the upside that Paxton has. Last year, he ranked 51st in strikeout rate out of the 56 pitchers who qualified for the ERA title.
Hernandez, Paxton, and Leake will front the rotation, and they may be the only starters the team uses consistently all year long. The fourth spot will likely be Erasmo Ramirez to start the season. He’s started and relieved in his career and has been okay at both, so he could move to the pen if someone emerges.