Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Connor Sadzeck from the Texas Rangers in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Grant Anderson.

 

To make room on the Major League, 40-man, roster right-handed pitcher Hunter Strickland has been transferred from the 10-day Injured List to the 60-day IL.


Sadzeck
, 27, was designated for assignment by Texas on March 28. He made 8 Cactus League appearances (1 start) with the Rangers this spring, posting a 7.56 ERA (7 ER, 8.1 IP) with 11 strikeouts and 8 walks. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound right-hander made his Major League debut with the Rangers on Sept. 1, 2018 vs. Minnesota. He went on to post a 0.96 ERA (1 ER, 9.1 IP) with 7 strikeouts and 11 walks in 13 games (2 starts) with Texas last season.

Sadzeck was converted from a starting pitcher to a reliever midway through the 2017 season and since then has averaged nearly 11.0 strikeouts-per-9.0-innings at the minor league level. He was sidelined for the 2014 campaign, as well as part of the 2015 season, after undergoing ligament transplant “Tommy John” surgery on March 26, 2014.

Sadzeck was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the 45th round of the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Crystal Lake Central (IL) High School but did not sign. After 1 season at Howard (TX) College, he was selected by the Rangers in the 11th round of the 2001 Draft. In 6 minor league seasons in the Rangers organization, he has compiled a record of 35-29 with a 4.19 ERA (247 ER, 531.0 IP) with 497 strikeouts and 247 walks in 155 games (91 starts).

Strickland, 30, was placed on the Injured List on March 30 with a right lat strain. Strickland notched saves in each of his first two appearances this season (March 20 and 21 vs. the A’s in Tokyo) without allowing a run. In his third appearance of the season (March 29) he faced 4 batters prior to being removed with stiffness in the back of his right shoulder. Overall, he is 0-1 with 2 saves and an 11.57 ERA (3 ER, 2.1 IP) this season.

 

Anderson, 21, made his professional debut in 2018 after being selected by Seattle in the 21st round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of McNeese State University. He spent the majority of the season with the AZL Mariners, where he went 1-1 with 1 save and a 2.00 ERA (2 ER, 9.0 IP) with 6 strikeouts and 5 walks in 10 relief appearances. He also made 1 appearance each with Short-A Everett and Single-A Clinton.

SADZECK’s PLAYING RECORD

 

 

YEARCLUBW-LERAGGSCGSHOSVIPHRERHRHBBBSOWPBK
2012Spokane1-44.06151500062.04438282124758130
2013Hickory12-42.252424000132.010243334135178230
2014 INJURED – DID NOT PITCH
2015High Desert2-13.9811800040.232221843244860
 Frisco1-19.617600019.222212114171640
2016Frisco10-84.162523200140.21276865181352133181
2017Frisco4-86.25381300093.210467651393911161
2018Round Rock5-34.0332000038.036221722164360
 AZL Rangers0-00.00320004.13000011000
 TEXAS0-00.961320009.16210111710
Minor Lg. Totals35-294.1915591200531.04702812474456247497762
ML Totals0-00.961320009.16210111710

 

 

STRICKLAND’s PLAYING RECORD

 

 

YEARCLUBW-LERAGGSCGSHOSVIPHRERHRHBBBSOWPBK
2007GCL Red Sox0-26.049600025.14021173142220
2008Lowell5-33.18151000070.267322551175920
2009Greenville5-43.35181200183.1853931115135110
 West Virginia4-23.778800043.0422318