Padres Trade Pitcher Matt Wisler to Mariners
By Sean Facey
The Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres made a minor exchange on Thursday.
Pitcher Matt Wisler is headed to Seattle in exchange for cash.
.@Mariners acquire RHP Matt Wisler from @Padres for cash.
— MLBRosterMoves (@MLBRosterMoves) July 4, 2019
Wisler was designated for assignment by the Padres just under a week ago in a roster shuffle. He made 21 appearances in relief for the Padres this year, posting a 5.28 ERA in 29 innings of work while striking out 34 batters.
He's bounced around the league a lot in recent years. The Mariners will mark the fourth team he's joined since the start of the 2018 season. He also appeared for Braves and Reds last year.
The Padres drafted him in the seventh round back in 2011, but they ultimately ended up trading him to the Braves in a package for Craig Kimbrel and Melvin Upton Jr. He was a top-100 prospect when he made his debut for Atlanta in 2015.
The Padres brought back Matt Wisler for a couple months. Got some good outings, some bad outings and some cash.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) July 4, 2019
Today, five days after he was DFA’d, Wisler was traded to the Mariners for “cash considerations.”
Wisler has dealt with his fair share of bad luck on the mound this year. His 4.14 FIP is a full run lower than his ERA, and when coupled with a 3.64 SIERA, it seems more than likely that he'll perform better for Seattle than he did for San Diego.
The Mariners' bullpen is in dire need of some help. The relief core ranks 25th in fWAR this year and has cobbled together a combined 5.05 ERA.
Perhaps a change of scenery can help Wisler be a spark for the struggling bullpen.