Unyielding Four of Seattle Mariners’ Pitching Rotation in 2024
The Seattle Mariners boasted an exceptionally robust pitching staff in 2024, standing out as the sole starting rotation in baseball with four pitchers who each initiated 30 or more games throughout the season. Even the fifth pitcher, Bryan Woo, fell just shy of this impressive milestone, starting a respectable 22 games. The Mariners saw minimal deviation from their core rotation, with only two pitchers outside the main lineup taking the mound during the season. Among them was the left-handed reliever Jhonathan Diaz, and the other was Emerson Hancock, the team’s designated sixth starter.
Emerson Hancock’s Struggle to Shift from Sixth Starter to Mainline Performer
Throughout the 2024 season, Emerson Hancock found himself in the challenging position of transitioning from his role as the Mariners’ sixth starter to a more prominent, regular presence on the pitching roster. Hancock was called upon to start 12 games during the season, where he delivered a respectable 4-4 record. However, his performance was marked by a 4.79 ERA and 39 strikeouts over 60.2 innings pitched. While he admirably stepped in for injured pitchers like Woo and Luis Castillo, there was a noticeable discrepancy in the quality of Hancock’s pitching compared to the rest of the rotation.
Hancock’s dedication to improving his pitching prowess during the offseason reflects his commitment to elevating his performance when called upon by the Seattle Mariners in the upcoming season.
