The Mariners spent acquired a grand total of Wade LeBlanc this offseason to augment their glass-boned 2017 starting rotation. Through a combination of excellent internal improvements and relative health from James Paxton and Félix Hernández, the Mariners’ 2018 rotation has been much improved. So improved, in fact, that the concern pendulum has swung towards whether their starters have thrown TOO much and may require a spell down the crucial final stretch. Thanks to well-managed pitch counts and a plethora of low-leverage innings, Seattle’s starter stress situation is probably less serious than it seems.
The Mariners rotation is less stressed than their innings total indicates
