Chasing The Storm 2048-3 Top Pitcher

[njherdfan]

By just about every single metric, Seattle's pitchers were the worst or 2nd worst group in the league. With that as background, it's a little difficult to award anyone the top pitcher award with a straight face. Nonetheless, that's what we're here to do.

While a lot has changed for Seattle this season, one thing that hasn't changed is the identity of its top starting pitcher: Hector Marquez was Seattle's top pitcher this season, as he has been for many years in the past. Unlike years past, however, it seems that Marquez is likely on the down side of his career. While Marquez led Seattle starters with a 3.81 ERA, most of his peripherals point to a much worse season, as his 4.73 FIP can attest.

Marquez's downfall appears to coincide with what stats have reported seeing, as his raw stuff has largely escaped him, which is largely the explanation for his career-low 127 strikeouts. Now, it appears, Marquez will almost exclusively pitch to contact in the future, which is not a recipe for any sort of long-term success. Marquez has established himself as one of the best pitchers in Seattle history, but it will be interesting to see whether he will be able to rebound moving forward. He is under contract for 2 more years, so Seattle fans desperately hope for some sort of late-career resurgence.

[Joshua Biddle]

Certainly a bummer when guys decline, was a mainstay in your rotation for years

[njherdfan]

Certainly a bummer when guys decline, was a mainstay in your rotation for years

Yep, and when he hit the wall, he hit it pretty hard