Penn Murfee is serving up gyros and punchouts

Draw that bow, PennThe success of the 2022 Seattle Mariners has flowed in large part through their rookie sensation, Julio Rodríguez, and their once-more spectacular bullpen. The 2021 core returned many of its most important pieces, namely Paul Sewald, Diego Castillo, Andrés Muñoz, and Erik Swanson, but trades and injuries have sapped them of several vital performances from their previous season, creating openings for players like 28-year-old rookie RHP Penn Murfee. The sidearming righty was selected 988th overall in 2018, in a round (33rd) that no longer exists in the MLB draft. His journey is fascinating, but at this point he’s just shy of 50 innings pitched for Seattle, sitting at a 2.36/2.83/3.60 ERA/FIP/DRA and a delectable 59/65/82 ERA-/FIP-/DRA-. He has been utterly brilliant, and his pathway to doing so has been delightfully uncommon.

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