Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said that relief pitcher Austin Adams (knee) will be full-go for spring training 2.0 next week. Adams underwent surgery last October for a torn left ACL. The delay to the 2020 season thanks to COVID-19 was a positive for Adams, and he could factor into high-leverage situations at the back of the team's bullpen this season. The 33-year-old right-hander had an ugly 7.02 ERA and 1.86 WHIP in just 15 relief outings with the Twins and Tigers in 2019. The fact that Adams has just one career save doesn't bode well for his chances in the ninth inning, but he could get a chance if a committee approach with Matt Magill, Yoshihisa Hirano and Erik Swanson fails.
Seattle Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said that relief pitcher Austin Adams (knee) is progressing well from knee surgery and has a chance to be ready whenever the 2020 season starts. Adams developed into a real late-inning threat for the M's bullpen in 2019 before he tore ligaments in his left knee on a play at first base on Sept. 21. He needed reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament in October. The 28-year-old right-hander has pushed forward in his rehab with hopes of not missing any time this year now. Adams has been throwing and running at his home in Florida. He had a 3.07 ERA with 49 strikeouts and 12 walks in 29 1/3 innings in 27 outings last year in Seattle and could be a deep sleeper option for saves.
Tommy Milone to Follow Opener Austin Adams Thursday
Seattle Mariners pitcher Austin Adams will serve as an opener Thursday for Seattle's game against the Houston Astros, with Tommy Milone following to pitch the bulk of the innings. Milone has been successful in three starts this season, with a 3.60 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings. However, in his career, he has just a 4.41 ERA and 573 strikeouts in 778 innings, making him only worth a shot in deep leagues. While Houston's offense is banged up right now, it is still threatening enough that this is a situation to avoid in DFS given the opener-follower setup.
Washington Nationals pitching prospect Austin Voth has been called up to give some depth to the team's bullpen in their finale against the Diamondbacks in Washington, D.C. Infielder Austin Adams has been sent down in a corresponding move. This is Voth's first appearance at the MLB level and he's been impressive in his four Triple-A starts so far. In 18 2/3 innings, opponents are batting .169 against him and he owns a miniscule 0.70 WHIP. He has struck out 22 batters while only walking two. Voth also made headlines recently as he pitched the first three innings of a combined no-hitter for Syracuse on April 18th. He was lined up to start on Sunday, so he can be used for multiple innings. He's not fantasy relevant until we see how he does against major league hitting.