The Seattle Mariners have made a significant roster move, promoting right-handed reliever Juan Burgos from Triple-A Tacoma in advance of their Saturday game against the Texas Rangers. To make room for Burgos, the Mariners designated right-handed reliever Zach Pop for assignment.
Burgos, 25, has had an outstanding season, allowing only two earned runs, which gives him an impressive 0.62 ERA over 29 innings across 22 combined appearances in Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma. His performance includes a remarkable 0.59 WHIP, alongside 30 strikeouts against just seven walks. He began the season with 21 appearances for Arkansas, before a scoreless inning at Tacoma paved the way for his Major League Baseball debut.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Burgos joined the Mariners as an international free agent in 2019. Throughout his six-year journey in Seattle’s minor league system, he has maintained a solid 2.81 ERA with a 1.19 WHIP, totaling 246 strikeouts over 224.1 innings.
On the other hand, Zach Pop, 28, who was signed to a minor league deal in mid-April after being released by the Toronto Blue Jays, has struggled during his time with the Mariners. After his call-up on June 13, he made four relief appearances, giving up eight earned runs in less than six innings. His recent outing against the Minnesota Twins, where he allowed seven earned runs in just one inning, likely contributed to the decision to designate him for assignment.
This promotion of Burgos represents a promising opportunity for the Mariners, who are looking to leverage his potential to enhance their bullpen performance moving forward. The team’s efforts to invest in young talent like Burgos reflect a positive direction as they strive for success in the ongoing season.