Mariners Recall RHP Rob Whalen from AAA Tacoma
Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today the following roster moves.
Rob Whalen, RHP, recalled from AAA Tacoma.
Emilio Pagan, RHP, optioned to AAA Tacoma.
Whalen, 23, was with Seattle for one day (May 5) before being optioned back to Tacoma post-game on May 6. He did not appear in a game during his one-day stint. He made 4 starts with AAA Tacoma and was 0–2, with a 4.09 ERA (10 ER, 22.0 IP). Rob began the season on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation before being activated and optioned to Tacoma on April 27. Whalen was acquired by the Mariners along with RHP Max Povse from the Braves for OF Alex Jackson a Player to be Named Later (LHP Tyler Pike) on Nov. 28, 2016. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander went 1–2 with a 6.57 ERA (18 ER, 24.2 IP) with 25 strikeouts and 12 walks in 5 starts with the Braves last season. Whalen earned the win in his Major League debut, Aug. 3, 2016 vs. Pittsburgh, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits, 4 walks and 5 strikeouts over 5.0 innings pitched. He was placed on the 15- day disabled list on Aug. 25 with a right shoulder fatigue and transferred to the 60-day disabled list on Sept. 17. Whalen began the 2016 season with AA Mississippi, where he compiled a record of 7–5 with a 2.49 ERA (28 ER, 101.1 IP) with 94 strikeouts and 37 walks in 18 starts. After being promoted to AAA Gwinnett on July 14, Whalen went 0–1 with a 1.93 ERA (4 ER, 18.2 IP) with 18 strikeouts and 7 walks in 3 starts.
The native of Stroudsburg, Pa., was originally selected by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 2012 First-Year Player
Draft out of Haines City High School (Haines City, Fla.). In parts of 6 minor league seasons with the Mets (2012–15), Braves (2015–16), Mariners (2017), Whalen is 24–17 with a 2.42 ERA (98 ER, 364.1 IP) with 324 strikeouts and 121 walks in 67 career games (63 starts).
Pagan, 26, was recalled from Tacoma on Monday, May 22. He tossed 4.0 shutout innings in relief last night vs. the Nationals, allowing just 1 hit while striking out 4. He was 1–0 with 2 saves and a 3.24 ERA (6 ER, 16.2 IP) with 21 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with AAA Tacoma. During his first stint with Seattle (May 2–6), he went 0–1 with a 16.88 ERA (5 ER, 2.2 IP) with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk in 2 relief appearances. In parts of 5 minor league seasons in the Mariners organization, Pagan has compiled a record of 12–15 with 48 saves and a 2.49 ERA (67 ER, 242.1 IP) with 290 strikeouts in 155 career appearances, all in relief. He made 2 scoreless relief appearances with Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic this spring, tossing a scoreless frame against Team Venezuela on March 18 and blanking Team USA in the 9th inning of the Championship Game on March 22. The native of Greenville, SC, was originally selected by the Mariners in the 10th round of the 2013 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Belmont Abbey College (Belmont, NC).
