While the offense, specifically the inability to hit with runners in scoring position and slugging percentage are the biggest issues for the Seattle Mariners (11-15) right now, there is a fair amount of concern regarding the bullpen as well.

The Carlos Vargas injury from the beginning of the season has had an impact, and high-leverage arms like Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo have had their issues. Closer Andres Munoz blew saves against the San Diego Padres and the Athletics in the last week, leading to some fans to say they want him removed as the closer in favor of Matt Brash.

We caught up with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on the Thursday edition of the 'Refuse to Lose' podcast to talk about two separate parts of the discussion.

"When you look around baseball right now, at the closer situations around the game, I gotta say, it's as tenuous as I've ever seen it. You know, not everybody is Mason Miller of the Padres, who just striking out everybody. So many other teams have situations where they've had to change out closers or they're swapping out guys, or they're having some sort of an issue with the back end of games.

You know, Devin Williams, the Mets, he blows a couple saves, and Luke Weaver goes in, and he's the guy who gets the ball. Daniel Palencia, the Cubs closer, he gets hurt. David Bednar, the Yankees closer, has saved games, but they haven't been clean innings.

You know, we could go on and on and on about all the issues with closers around the game. So, again, I think it's important to keep the Mariners issues in context with Munoz."

"So, he could. But I think, unless your closer is an abject disaster, I would just leave him there. Right? Because there is value in some respects. Being the closer, you know, it comes with a special title, and you do better in salary arbitration. But managers, oftentimes, their best reliever is not the closer. It's the guy that they want to bring in, you know, the true fireman, who, if there's runners and second and third, and one out, the guy they want to bring into the game in the seventh inning.

And if you feel like Munoz is the ability to finish games, that itself is a skill, and you're hanging on to that. And maybe Brash is the guy who's getting you out of those other situations, because let me tell you, not everybody can close. You know, a great, longtime reliever for the Mariners, for the Yankees was Jeff Nelson. I mean, he was one for years, one of the best setup men in baseball. And he used to say to me about the ninth inning, 'I don't want that.' Some guys don't want it, and some guys do.

And, yes, Munoz has not been great at the beginning of the season, but it's pretty clear he can handle the pressure of having the ninth inning. And by keeping him there, you keep things in line so you can use Matt Brash in key spots and other parts of the game."

Munoz is 3-2 thus far with an ERA of 8.00. He's struck out 15 batters while walking five in 9.0 innings.

Brash is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 8.1 innings. He's struck out five.

The Mariners are back in action on Friday night at 5:15 p.m. PT against the St. Louis Cardinals.

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