The Seattle Mariners turned to right-hander Cooper Criswell in a crucial moment during their 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics, according to an April 23 report. Criswell was brought in for the eighth inning with a one-run lead and successfully retired the side on just nine pitches, earning his first career hold.
This development comes after a series of changes within the Mariners’ bullpen early in the season. The team has faced challenges with relievers giving up runs and several pitchers either being injured or designated for assignment. Manager Dan Wilson said about Criswell, “He’s been around, he’s been in different situations. For him, he will take the ball at all times. Sometimes it’s going to be a length situation, and sometimes it’s going be today where we need to him to get the eighth inning and get to [Andrés Muñoz] in the ninth. What he has done for us so far, he’s really excelled in all those roles. To have a guy down there where you know you can count on him, that’s big.”
Criswell joined Seattle after being designated for assignment by New York earlier this year and had previously spent time with Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, and Boston. He started this season as bullpen depth but had shown solid performance with a 1.80 earned run average across ten innings before Wednesday’s game.
When asked about his new role coming out of Spring Training competition for a starting spot due to Bryce Miller’s injury, Criswell said: “I feel like I made it clear to the staff in Spring Training: I’m open to doing whatever role they need me to do and I’m excited for any opportunities.”
Reflecting on his successful outing under pressure against Oakland, Criswell added: “I just tried to treat it like any other situation… Not trying to put too much pressure on yourself in the situation, go out there and stick to our game plan, which is attacking the strike zone. I felt like I did a good job of that. I liked the results.”
The Mariners’ decision highlights their willingness to give newer faces high-leverage opportunities as they navigate early-season bullpen adjustments.
