The Seattle Mariners announced Saturday that they have designated veteran RHP reliever Zach Pop for assignment. Correspondingly, they have selected the contract of RHP reliever Juan Burgos from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and are promoting him to the big league bullpen ahead of this evening’s game against the Texas Rangers.
Pop had an unfortunate, brief saga with Seattle, working a couple of dutiful, scoreless multi-inning appearances and a third with a single run allowed on a solo shot in the hot, windy Chicago air. However, an absolute implosion in Minnesota was one of the worst relief appearances in recent memory by a M’s arm, allowing eight runs, seven of which were earned, on six hits and two walks, along with a pair of big flies, swelling a 2-0 deficit to 10-0 and leading Seattle to quickly allow Pop to sop up the runs in a suddenly unwinnable contest.