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Seattle Mariners

Mariners obtain RHP David Phelps from Marlins for prospects

In this April 30, 2017, file photo, Miami Marlins relief pitcher David Phelps throws during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, in Miami. The Marlins traded right-hander David Phelps to the Seattle Mariners for four prospects, including highly regarded outfielder Brayan Hernandez. (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
By Steven Wine Associated Press

MIAMI – The Miami Marlins’ highly touted bullpen has been a bust, and so the dismantling began Thursday.

A seller once again as the trade deadline approaches, Miami sent right-hander David Phelps to the Seattle Mariners for four prospects, including highly regarded outfielder Brayan Hernandez.

Also acquired by the Marlins to shore up their weak farm system were right-handed pitching prospects Pablo Lopez, Brandon Miller and Lukas Schiraldi.

Phelps is 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 44 games and 47 innings this season, all in relief. The bullpen was expected to be a strength, but it faltered and the Marlins appear destined to miss the playoffs for the 14th year in a row, the longest such drought in the N.L.

The Mariners shored up their bullpen at the start of a 10-game homestand that begins against the New York Yankees and leads into the trade deadline. After a 5-1 trip following the All-Star break, the Mariners are 48-48 and 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the A.L. wild-card standings.

Phelps is a versatile six-year veteran with 64 career starts.

“David was a target player for us headed into the deadline period,” Mariners general manager said Jerry Dipoto in a statement. “The quality of his work, particularly over the past two years in the bullpen, in addition to his versatility – including his background as starter – made him very attractive to us.”

Phelps will join a bullpen that was overworked during the first half of the season as the Mariners dealt with major injuries to the rotation. They’re fifth in the A.L. in innings pitched by the bullpen.

Seattle has solidified its eighth- and ninth-inning roles, with Nick Vincent typically the setup man for closer Edwin Diaz, but getting to that point has been a struggle at times. Phelps should provide manager Scott Servais more options to bridge the late innings.

Phelps also fits a desire by Dipoto to acquire players who aren’t short-term rentals. Phelps will be under Seattle’s control through the 2018 season.

Hernandez, a 19-year-old Venezuelan, is batting .259 in 31 games in the minors this year. He’ll be assigned to the Marlins’ short-season Single-A affiliate in Batavia.