Hyphen has one concern about Mariners in WBC

There will be plenty for Seattle Mariners fans to keep an eye on during this year’s World Baseball Classic.

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The M’s will have up to 18 players participating in the event, which is tied for the most in the league with the New York Mets.

The good news for those who still haven’t forgotten about Drew Smyly and his “soggy arm” is the only M’s starting pitcher who could compete in the event is Luis Castillo, who is in the Dominican Republic’s designated pitcher pool and isn’t guaranteed to pitch.

But the Mariners do have key members of their bullpen pitching in the WBC, and M’s analyst and former MLB pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith has some concern about one of them.

Rowland-Smith, who pitched in the event for his home country of Australia in 2013 and 2017 and is serving as a broadcaster this year for WBC games in Puerto Rico, explained to Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob on Wednesday why All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz is in a bit of a tricky situation pitching for Team Mexico.

“Mexico’s one of these teams that they’re gonna have to push it to the brink to get out of their pool play,” Rowland-Smith said.

Mexico, which reached the semifinals in 2023, is in Pool B with the United States, Italy, Great Britain and Brazil. The U.S. finished as the runner-up in 2023 and Italy reached the quarterfinals. Italy also beat Mexico in the 2013 and 2017 WBCs.

Rowland-Smith acknowledged teams are able to put restrictions on how much their players are used at the event, but said players like Muñoz are going to want to step up for their country whenever needed.

“Your adrenaline’s pumping and it’s gonna be pumping in Houston up against Team USA,” Rowland-Smith said. “It’s like, oh man, we’re up by a run or two and I can go out and pitch, even though I know that I threw yesterday. … Whatever it may be, you just get that urge to say, ‘Screw it, I’m gonna go out and pitch.’ And you want that competitive fire.”

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Rowland-Smith thinks it’s a much different situation than what left-hander Gabe Speier will be in with Team USA. Muñoz is clearly Mexico’s best pitcher, while the U.S. has plenty of strong options outside of Speier.

“They got so much more depth that Team USA can play that like an All-Star game. You throw that one inning. You don’t have to worry about that,” Rowland-Smith said. “(Mexico doesn’t have) the same depth. I’m not saying (Muñoz’s) teammates are going to nudge him and say, ‘Get out there and pitch,’ or pressure (him). But you just can’t help it, man. You’re competitive and you want to get out there and just push it for maybe that extra out or whatever it may be.”

Hear the full conversation with M’s analyst Ryan Rowland-Smith at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-7 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

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