Ryan Divish

The Seattle Times

Marc Rzepczynski had one job to do as a member of the Mariners’ bullpen — get out left-handed hitters. It was a small, but definable role and the reason he was signed to a 2-year, $11 million contract before the 2017 season.

When it appeared that Rzepczynski was no longer trusted to do that, the Mariners decided to move on.

On Friday, Seattle recalled left-handed pitcher Roenis Elias from Class AAA Tacoma and Rzepczynski was designated for assignment, basically ending his tenure with the organization. Seattle has seven days to trade, outright or release Rzepczynski. Given what’s left on his contract, approximately half of the $5.5 million owed, he will likely clear waivers and be a free to sign with any team. Seattle would pay the contract in full if that happens. Even with his struggles, he probably won’t stay unemployed for long given his past track record in the big leagues.

Rzepczynski, 32, was 0-1 with a 9.39 ERA (8 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings pitched) with 10 strikeouts and 9 walks in 18 relief appearances with the Mariners this season. Opposing batters were hitting .342 (13 for 38) against him this season. Even worse, when he was brought into face lefties, he often allowed them to reach base via walk or hit.

Rzepczynski went 2-2 with a save and a 4.02 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 20 walks in 64 relief appearances with Seattle in 2017. He pitched at the MLB level of parts of 10 seasons with stops in Toronto (2009-11), St. Louis (2011-13), Cleveland (2013-15), San Diego (2015), Oakland (2016), Washington (2016) and Seattle (2017-18). Rzepczynski has a career 3.92 ERA in 501 appearances.

But his track record couldn’t help him this season. With no command of his sinking fastball, he was often behind in counts and ultra-hittable. He lost his late-innings specialist role to lefty James Pazos, who offered better stuff and the ability to get right-handers out. With Pazos in the game late, manager Scott Servais wasn’t forced to make a pitching change the moment a right-handed hitter came to the plate.

Another factor allowing the Mariners to make this move was the emergence of Wade LeBlanc as the Mariners’ fifth starter. LeBlanc has been more than effective since replacing Erasmo Ramirez in the starting rotation, posting a 2.60 ERA in six starts. The need to keep Elias stretched out as a starter in Tacoma and a possible replacement for LeBlanc had diminished. Seattle acquired Elias from the Red Sox early in the season to add to their starting depth at Class AAA Tacoma when Ramirez was dealing with the first of two issues. Meanwhile, the Mariners’ 40-man roster lacked viable left-handed relief arms since the start of the season, which limited their options. But before being acquired by the Mariners on April 23, Elias was being converted to a lefty reliever by the Red Sox. He was 1-0 with a save and a 1.23 ERA in four relief appearances with Class AAA Pawtucket.

General manager Jerry Dipoto originally traded Elias to the Red Sox along with reliever Carson Smith on Dec. 2015 for left-handed starting pitcher Wade Miley and right-handed reliever Jonathan Aro, neither of whom are in the organization.

Elias spent most of the 2017 season on the disabled list with a right oblique strain. He started the season on the 10-day disabled list and was later transferred to the 60-day disabled list. He made a total of seven rehab starts with four affiliates and then was activated from the DL, making three more starts for Pawtucket. He posted a combined 1-6 record with a 6.96 ERA. He made one appearance for the Red Sox, pitching a 1/3 of an inning, walking batter and recording a strikeout.

He was originally signed by the Mariners as a minor league free agent out of Cuba in 2011. After an impressive spring in 2014, he made his big league debut on April 3 vs. the A’s. He posted a 10-12 record with a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts that season. He became just the fifth left-handed rookie pitcher in club history to earn 10 wins.