Last weekend, the Seattle Mariners acquired hard-throwing left-hander Jose Ferrer for top catching prospect Harry Ford.

Ferrer, 25, went 4-4 for the Washington Nationals in 2025, appearing in 72 games. He had a 4.48 ERA, striking out 71 in 76.1 innings, but his FIP of 3.03 indicates some bad luck was involved in his performance. He's under contract for four more years, giving the Mariners a chance to have this trade pay off in the now - and in the future.

Some felt that the Mariners didn't get enough for Ford, a Top 100 prospect, but I did, as I recently discussed on the Refuse to Lose podcast.

"You have a guy who's 98, 99 miles an hour with a power sinker and awesome changeup. You know who that sounds like to me? Jose Alvarado. You know what Jose Alvarado was? Nasty for years. I would take that in the bullpen as a Gabe Speier complement, Gabe Speier insurance, Gabe Speier protection, and this makes everybody in the bullpen better. Or this makes the entire pitching staff better.

Dan Wilson doesn't have to force the starters beyond their limits. He can go to the bullpen earlier. He doesn't have to wear down Gabe Speier or wear down Ferrer This is a great move, and by the way, this is a win now move. This is a team that went to Game 7 of the ALCS that's trying to re-win a division, that's trying to re-get back to the ALCS, that's trying to break the door down and get to the World Series, and I think everybody wants that. And here they are going out and making a move to get a power arm in their bullpen, which was a desperate need, and a power bullpen arm from the left side, which was a desperate need..."

The ALDS situation won't happen again

Do you remember back to the American League Division Series when all the conversation was about Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch trying to neutralize Speier? Starting in Game 3, he hit Kerry Carpenter in the leadoff spot for the sole purpose of getting Wilson to pull his starter earlier and go to Speier earlier. If Wilson didn't do it? Hinch thought he had the advantage of Carpenter against a right-handed starter.

If Wilson did pull his starter and go to Speier? Then Hinch had a late-game situation that would eventually develop, and Speier wouldn't be an option.

With two lefties now in the fold, that's not going to be the case. That's a huge win.

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