Andrés

Muñoz

Just turning 27 in January, Muñoz would have co-headlined this year’s reliever class with Edwin Díaz had he not signed a long-term deal as a 22-year-old. He’ll get about one-third of his fair-market value next year, and the Mariners will still have club options on him for $8 million in 2027 and $10 million in 2028. At least he can earn up to an extra $2 million next year based on games finished.

Muñoz has pitched in five of the Mariners’ six games so far and pitched 5 1/3 hitless innings, walking two and striking out five. He needed just eight pitches tonight, so he’ll be good for at least three outs on Monday.

The 26-year-old stopper made it look easy once again in this one, striking out Zach McKinstry on three pitches before retiring Javier Baez on a pop out to second base and Parker Meadows on strikes to end it. The Mariners will now head to Detroit with new life and the series tied at a game apiece in advance of Tuesday’s showdown at Comerica Park.

Muñoz threw 25 pitches (15 strikes) over two perfect innings against the Tigers in Game 1 on Saturday — the first time in his Mariners’ career that he has recorded six outs in a game. If the Mariners can get a lead to the late innings against Tarik Skubal on Sunday night, expect to see the 26-year-old right-hander called upon to shut the Tigers down once again.

It’s the first time since his rookie season in 2019 that Muñoz has recorded six outs in a ballgame. He was called upon to work the top half of the ninth inning with the score tied at 2-2, then remained in for the 10th after both teams failed to score in the ninth. Despite a couple of hard-hit balls, he retired all six hitters that he faced in order — including strikeouts of Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene to end the 10th. He threw 25 pitches in the outing though, making his availability for Game 2 on Sunday night uncertain.

Muñoz walked Michael Conforto and Alex Call to start the inning, sealing his fate. It goes as his third loss, and while that doesn’t matter much to the Mariners, who are locked into the second seed in the AL postseason picture, it probably ruins what chance he had of beating out Aroldis Chapman for the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award. Muñoz has a 1.73 ERA and 38 saves in 62 1/3 innings, while Chapman is at 1.17 with 32 saves in 61 1/3 innings.

Muñoz was called on to close out the game against the Rockies in the top of the ninth after Seattle took a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth. He slammed the door on the Rockies, tossing a perfect frame with two strikeouts to convert his 38th save and secure a playoff spot for the Mariners.

Given a two-run lead, Muñoz hit Jake Meyers on the hand to start the inning, struck out Zach Cole and walked Jeremy Peña. That brought up Carlos Correa, who hit a liner to right-center that was caught on a terrific diving play from Victor Robles. Meyers, who wasn’t even the tying run, had rounded third and wound up being doubled off second to end the game. Muñoz will certainly get Sunday off after this, potentially creating a save chance for Matt Brash.

The Mariners handed their 26-year-old stopper a two-run lead to protect in the ninth inning and he made sure that it stood up. Muñoz got Bobby Witt Jr. on a swinging third strike to start the inning then allowed a one-out double to Vinnie Pasquantino that brought the tying run to the plate. The 26-year-old hurler battled back to get Maikel Garcia on strikes before plunking Salvador Perez with a 99-mph fastball. He then put the game away by retiring Adam Frazier on a swinging third strike to end it. He now boasts a minuscule 1.54 ERA on the season to go along with 36 saves and a 78/25 K/BB ratio over 58 1/3 innings.

Muñoz breezed through the Los Angeles lineup; needing just 12 pitches to strike out a par of batters. The 26-year-old is now up to 35 saves with a 1.57 ERA. In a different era, Muñoz might be competing for Cy Young votes. This is not that era, for better or for worse. Probably better.