Mariners designate former closer Fernando Rodney for assignment

(Getty Images) It’s the end of the road for veteran reliever Fernando Rodney in Seattle.

The 2014 MLB saves leader and two-time All-Star was designated for assignment following the Mariners 6-3 loss to the Chicago White on Saturday night.

The move means Rodney is immediately off the Mariners major league and 40-man rosters. He now enters a 10-day window in which he’ll be traded, released, claimed on waivers or sent to the minors. Rodney has the option of declining a minor-league assignment to become a free agent.

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It once again goes to show just how quickly the career arc of a relief pitcher can go off track. For several seasons Rodney was among the most reliable relievers in MLB, which earned him a a two-year, $14 million deal with Seattle last winter.

Rodney lived up to the contract in 2014, earning all-star honors and leading MLB with 48 saves. His 2.65 ERA was the second lowest of his 13-year career, behind only the 0.60 ERA he posted in 76 appearances with Tampa Bay in 2012. The Mariners were obviously hopeful he’d have one more good season in him before his contract runs out. However, in his age 38 season, Rodney has fallen off the cliff, posting a full-season career worst 5.68 ERA over 54 appearances.

In early June, Rodney ceded full-time closing duties to Carson Smith. Since, he’s served mainly as a set up man working the seventh and eighth innings. The results have remained hit-or-miss, and the Mariners decided a shake up was needed after consecutive rough outings against the Rangers and White Sox.

At this point, it’s expected that Rodney has played his final game for the Mariners. The question now is whether or not another team, perhaps even a contending team, will take a flier on a guy with late-inning experience. In order to quality for a postseason roster, Rodney would have to land on the 25-man roster before Sept. 1. So if something is going to happen, it’ll have to come before the 10-day window is up.

The experience Rodney brings can be difficult to overlook, but the reality of his situation this season is even more difficult to ignore. He’s simply not a good pitcher right now, and unless a pitching coach out there finds something on video that’s fixable, there’s probably not much reason for near term optimism.

Rodney will likely end up with a minor-league deal in September or over the winter, meaning we’ll have to wait and wonder until spring if we’ve seen our last arrow in MLB.

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