Brandon

Maurer

Maurer hasn’t appeared in a Grapefruit League game since February 26, but he is playing catch on the side. The 28-year-old right-hander is in Pirates camp this spring on a non-guaranteed minor league contract and is probably a longshot for a bullpen gig. He had a horrific 7.76 ERA in 37 appearances with the Royals in 2018.

Mauer retired all three hitters that he faced in order, one of them on strikes. The 28-year-old right-hander was an interesting low-cost addition for the Pirates on a minor league deal in late January, as he should be able to secure a role in the Opening Day bullpen with a strong showing in Florida. Given his history, he could even work his way into a setup role in front of closer Felipe Vazquez.

Mauer registered an awful 7.76 ERA over 37 appearances with the Royals in 2018 and also struggled in a big way in 2017, but he has been an effective reliever for stretches in the past (36 career saves) and is only 28 years old. The right-hander will compete for an Opening Day bullpen spot in Pirates camp.

Maurer has been horrible for two years, even though he’s still throwing 94-98 mph and getting a fair number of strikeouts. One would think he’s fixable, and if so, the Pirates could have a quality setup option on their hands. The 28-year-old right-hander will presumably be invited to major league camp with the Bucs.

The Royals outrighted him off the 40-man roster for the second time since April and he’s decided to look for a gig elsewhere. Maurer is a former closer who can be dominant at times, but he holds a 6.95 ERA since the beginning of last season.

He’s now part of the 40-man roster. Maurer is coming off a nice year, having put up a 3.20 ERA while striking out 117 over 137 2/3 innings.

After two rough outings to start the season, Maurer had been better of late. But he struggled from the outset Wednesday, giving up five runs in the first inning and a run in each of the next two. His next scheduled start is Tuesday against the Padres.

Maurer went 2-7 with a 6.93 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in 10 starts with Seattle. The 22-year-old right-hander will go work on his craft against a lesser level of competition.

Combine this and Aaron Harang’s effort yesterday and there’s no longer any doubt who will be dropped from the Mariners rotation if a change comes. Maurer still has a future in the bigs, but he belongs in the minors right now.

Maurer matched his career-high with six strikeouts in the game, while walking four. Despite the decent start, he owns a putrid 5.75 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 28/14 K/BB ratio on the season, and could be at risk of losing his spot in the M’s rotation. He’ll take on the Angels in Anaheim on Wednesday, but should be avoided for fantasy purposes.