Andres Munoz Strikes Out Two In Spring Debut
9 months agoSeattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz made his spring debut on Thursday in a 6-5 Cactus League loss to the Chicago White Sox. The righty pitched one inning, needing just eight pitches to get through it. He got Peyton Burdick to pop out on the first pitch he saw and struck out both Brett Phillips and Yoan Moncada on three pitches each. The only blemish was a Nicky Lopez double sandwiched between the Phillips and Moncada Ks. Munoz filled in admirably last season as the M's closer after Paul Sewald was traded away. With Matt Brash succumbing to injury, possibly for the season, there's no competition for the closer role, so Munoz will be the guy. He's got the characteristics you want in a closer: 99th percentile Whiff%, 95th percentile K%, along with a 98th percentile Fastball Velo that averages around 99 mph and can touch nearly 102 mph. He's projected for 26 saves in 2024 and is a top-12 option at the position.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN