Breaking: Mariners’ Prospect Finds New Home: Tampa Bay Rays Welcome Reliever with Open Arms
The Seattle Mariners are still trying to find solutions to the holes on their major league roster. But they’ve also been working in the offseason to re-tool their minor league system, as well.
Over 30 minor league players left the Mariners organization in the offseason due to free agency or retirement. Most of them were pitchers.
And one hurler has found a new home with the Tampa Bay Rays.
According to Tampa Bay Times reporter Marc Topkin, reliever Joey Krehbiel signed a minor league deal with the Rays with an invite to Spring Training included. Krehbiel previously pitched for Tampa Bay in 2021.
Krehbiel spent all of 2024 with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers. While there, the former Florida State pitcher registered a 3.26 ERA and had 10 saves in 12 opportunities. He struck out 55 batters in 58 innings pitched across 54 appearances.
Krehbiel was originally drafted in the 12th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels. He made his major league debut in 2018 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Since making his debut, Krehbiel has made 70 major league appearances and has posted a 3.65 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched.
The lion’s share of Krehbiel’s outings came in 2022. He appeared in 56 games with the Baltimore Orioles and had a 3.90 ERA and fanned 45 batters in 57.2 innings pitched.
Tacoma will likely miss Krehbiel’s veteran presence in the bullpen, but the Mariners have other pitchers like Yunior Marte and Casey Lawrence who they signed in the offseason that should fill that void in Triple-A.
