Passan: Emerson Hancock expected to be traded

Hancock tossed a scoreless first inning, stranded two runners in the second, then surrendered three runs on four hits in the third. One of the runs would be ruled as an unearned run following an error. Riley Greene would later take him deep for a solo homer in the fifth. Hancock gave the Mariners one more scoreless frame, ending his day after six innings with six strikeouts. The 27-year-old right-hander will take a 3.33 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 108/29 K/BB ratio across 116 1/3 innings into a start against the Rays in Seattle on Sunday.

Passan adds that the sense is that Kirby is available and could be moved prior to Monday’s deadline. He also notes that Seattle has been listening to offer for Emerson Hancock and Luis Castillo. The Mariners have top prospect Kade Anderson knocking on the door of the majors and figure to move at least one, if not more, of their current rotation members. Kirby would net the largest return in any potential trade package, despite holding a pedestrian 3.98 ERA across 120 innings this season.

It’s fair to wonder whether Seattle will wait until mid-August to promote Anderson since that would allow him to remain rookie-eligible for next season. There will be a rotation spot open one they move on from either Emerson Hancock or Luis Castillo ahead of next week’s trade deadline. There’s a chance that both of them are on the move. Anderson has checked every metaphorical box during his professional debut with a microscopic 1.20 ERA and 119/12 K/BB ratio across 82 1/3 innings over 16 starts for Double-A Arkansas. Needless to say, Anderson should be stashed in all fantasy formats. His time is coming.

Three runs in five innings on the road against one of the game’s best offenses probably doesn’t do much for Hancock’s trade value either way. He gave up one homer, though that was hit just 95.4 mph off the bat by Andy Pages. The other runs scored on three straight singles in the third and a single, a double and an infield single in the fourth. A better third baseman than Weston Wilson might have made the play on the last hit in the fourth to prevent the run. Hancock dropped to 6-5 with a 3.26 ERA. If he stays put, he should face the Tigers next Tuesday or Wednesday.

The assumption had been if the Mariners made a move in their rotation, it would likely be jettisoning Luis Castillo. Hancock would have more value to other teams as a controllable starter who is not making $22.75 million a season. Hancock has had a breakout year, with a 3.16 ERA in his first 19 starts, with 97 strikeouts in 105 1/3 innings pitched. The Athletic’s pair of reporters believe the Cubs and Mariners could match up well in a trade, though stop short of reporting that the Cubs have engaged with the Mariners on Hancock.

He struck out three and walked one in his first start of the second half. This makes five times this season that Hancock has allowed exactly two runs (over six innings four times and five innings once). He hasn’t received a decision in any of those games, though. He’s 3-0 when he allows no runs, 1-2 in five starts while allowing one run, 0-0 in five starts while giving up two runs and 2-2 in five starts when giving up at least three runs. He’s due to face the Dodgers next week.

Hancock was hit in the hand with a 107 mph comebacker on the first pitch of the game. He initially stayed in the game, but had to leave in the second and finished with 1 2/3 scoreless innings before his removal. Hancock told reporters after the game it was just a bruise, and he expects to be ready after the All-Star break. It’s likely that he’ll experience some significant swelling, however, so fantasy managers should be ready if the 27-year-old needs to miss time.

It’s the fourth straight Mariners game to end in a shutout, and they were on the right side of three of them. (They beat the Angels 1-0 on Thursday, lost to the Jays 2-0 on Friday and won 11-0 on Saturday.) Hancock was originally supposed to piggyback with Logan Gilbert on Saturday, but the Mariners scratched that the night before and Gilbert went out and pitched one-hit ball for seven innings. Now, Hancock has gone seven scoreless for the first time. He previously pitched six scoreless innings twice and seven innings of one-run ball once. He struck out five and generated 14 whiffs today, finishing with a 32 percent CSW. The Mariners probably won’t engage in any funny business in the rotation this week with six games in a row after the off day on Monday. Just like this weekend, they’ll likely go with Luis Castillo on Friday, Gilbert on Saturday and Hancock on Sunday against the Rays.

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Mariners are abandoning their ill-fated piggyback experiment with Gilbert making his usual start before Emerson Hancock takes the ball against Toronto on Sunday. It doesn’t sound like the organization has any plans to continue the unorthodox arrangement beyond the All-Star break, especially with the trade deadline looming and top prospects like Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan looking like they could pitch in the majors down the home stretch. Hopefully this is the last time fantasy managers need to incorporate the phrase piggyback into our vocabulary.

It sounds like the Mariners will continue with this odd piggybacking arrangement through the All-Star break to keep all six of their starters happy. That means George Kirby will start on Sunday with Bryan Woo set to take the ball for Tuesday’s series opener against the Marlins in Miami.