The Mariners have added another arm to their spring mix, signing right-hander Dane Dunning to a minor league deal. The 31-year-old is expected to receive a non-roster invite to big league camp, where he’ll look to reestablish his footing after a tough 2025 season.
Dunning’s most recent stint in the majors didn’t go according to plan. He made just 12 appearances between the Braves and Rangers, all in relief, and struggled to a near-7.00 ERA over 20 2/3 innings.
It was a far cry from the form he showed as a starter earlier in his career. Still, he kept working as a starter in Triple-A, where the results were somewhat more encouraging – a 4.67 ERA over 69 1/3 innings, with a league-average strikeout rate of 21.6% and a 7.6% walk rate.
Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but they hint at a pitcher who still has something in the tank. Dunning isn’t a flamethrower and never has been.
His game has always been about command, mixing pitches, and limiting damage. During his best stretch with Texas from 2021 to 2023, he carved out a role as a dependable innings-eater.
In fact, he logged a career-high 172 2/3 innings with a 3.70 ERA in 2023 – a key piece of the Rangers’ World Series-winning campaign. But the past two seasons have seen the long ball creep back into his game, and that’s been a tough hurdle to overcome.
In Seattle, Dunning will likely serve as rotation depth at Triple-A Tacoma, with the possibility of long relief work if needed. Cracking the Mariners’ Opening Day roster would probably require a series of injuries in camp, especially given the strength of their front five. That group – when healthy – is among the best in baseball, and most of Seattle’s bullpen arms are out of minor league options, making roster flexibility a challenge.
Still, the Mariners aren’t exactly overflowing with proven depth behind their top starters. Logan Evans and Emerson Hancock are next in line, but both are still finding their footing at the major league level.
Evans had a 4.32 ERA in his first 16 appearances, but his strikeout numbers were underwhelming. Hancock, meanwhile, ended last season pitching in short relief and may ultimately fit better in the bullpen.
His 5.00 ERA across 31 career starts suggests there’s still development needed before he’s a reliable option in the rotation.
Beyond that, rookie Blas Castaño and swingman Jhonathan Diaz round out the 40-man depth. So while Dunning may not be in the immediate mix, there’s a path to relevance if injuries or underperformance hit the Mariners’ staff.
For now, this is a low-risk move that brings experience and innings to a team with championship aspirations. And if Dunning can tap back into the form he showed just a couple of seasons ago, the Mariners might have found themselves a valuable insurance policy – one that doesn’t cost them a 40-man spot but could pay dividends when the season grinds into the summer months.
