The Twins released Whalen on Tuesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
Minnesota moved on from Whalen after he posted an 8.59 ERA and 1.82 WHIP in 10 outings (four starts) with Triple-A St. Paul upon signing a minor-league contract with the organization in May. The 27-year-old right-hander previously saw big-league action in 2016 through 2018, but he's a long ways away from making his next MLB appearance.
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Rob Whalen: Cut by Mets
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Whalen was released by the Mets on Thursday, Michael Mayer of Metsmerizedonline.com reports.
In big-league camp this year as a non-roster camp invitee, Whalen was cut by the team that originally drafted him in the 12th round in 2012. He reached the majors for the first time with the Braves in 2016 and again with the Mariners in 2017 and 2018. The 26-year-old righty has a 5.75 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 36 career MLB innings.
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Mets' Rob Whalen: Joins Mets on minors deal
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Whalen signed with the Mets as a non-roster invitee Monday, Andersen Pickard of MLB Daily Dish reports.
Whalen announced his retirement prior to last season due to his battle with anxiety and depression, but his time away from the game will end up being temporary. In 36 career big-league innings, the 25-year-old owns a 5.75 ERA.
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Rob Whalen: Announces retirement from baseball
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Whalen announced via his personal Twitter account Monday that he's retiring from professional baseball.
Whalen cited his battle with mental illness as the main reason why he's stepping away from the game. The 25-year-old right-hander spent little time in the big leagues during his brief career, making just eight appearances (six starts) across stops with both Atlanta and Seattle. He posted a 5.75 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 15 walks over 36.0 frames.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Outrighted to Triple-A
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Whalen cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
The 24-year-old tossed four scoreless relief innings for the Mariners this year. He spent the bulk of his season with Tacoma, making 20 starts and posting a 5.16 ERA. He'll remain at that level but will be one step further from returning to the big leagues.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: DFA'd by Mariners
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Whalen was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Whalen made one appearance with the Mariners this season, allowing one hit and one walk over four scoreless innings in June. The 24-year-old has a 5.48 ERA and 1.62 WHIP over 110 minor-league innings this season.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Candidate for potential spot start
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Whalen is a candidate to make a spot start against the Astros on Sunday if Felix Hernandez is demoted from the starting rotation, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander was on the disabled list at Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the season with a shoulder injury, but he's made seven starts since returning July 6. Whalen most recently started for the Rainiers on Tuesday, so he'd be on his normal amount of rest if he were to get the callup. Whalen sports just a 7-7 record and bloated 5.12 ERA at the minor-league level this season, but he was impressive in his one previous spot start with the Mariners, throwing four scoreless innings against the Red Sox on June 15. Considering that Erasmo Ramirez (shoulder) -- reportedly the team's preferred option if it was to replace Hernandez -- will still make one more rehab start and is thus unavailable Sunday, the M's could also choose to stand pat and give the latter one more turn as a starter.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Hits minor-league DL
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Whalen (shoulder) was placed on the 7-day DL at Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, Rainiers play-by-play broadcaster Mike Curto reports.
Whalen leads the Rainiers with seven wins, which he's garnered over 14 starts. Curto reports that Whalen left his most recent start against Salt Lake last Thursday with shoulder stiffness, which led to Tuesday's move. The 24-year-old has made one appearance at the big-league level this season as well, firing four scoreless innings during which he allowed a hit and a walk against the Red Sox on June 15.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Sent back to Triple-A
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Whalen was demoted to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.
Whalen was optioned to make room for the return of Juan Nicasio (knee). Whalen pitched four scoreless innings Friday against the Red Sox in his only big-league appearance this season, allowing just one hit and one walk, though he didn't manage to strike out a single batter.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Called up from minors
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Whalen was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma prior to Thursday's game against Boston.
Whalen will provide a little extra depth for the Mariners' pitching staff as he has the ability to make a spot start in addition to serving out of a long-relief role, which he will likely settle into moving forward. Over 13 starts with Triple-A Tacoma this season, the right-hander logged a 4.50 ERA and 1.46 WHIP with a 62:25 K:BB across 72 innings.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Optioned to Triple-A
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Whalen was sent to Triple-A Tacoma on Monday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.
Whalen was competing for an Opening Day rotation spot but appears to have lost out to Marco Gonzales and Ariel Miranda. He'll return to Tacoma, where he posted a 6.58 ERA in 10 starts last season. He could be back with the Mariners later this season if injuries create a need in the rotation.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Walloped in Sunday's start
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Whalen (0-2) allowed nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits, three walks and a hit batsman over two innings in Sunday's 16-3 Cactus League loss to the Indians. He struck out two.
He even threw a pair of throwing errors in for good measure, leading to a disastrous outing that may have put a significant dent into his rotation hopes. Whalen has been competing with southpaw Ariel Miranda for the fifth spot, and prior to Sunday, he'd been making a formidable case. The 24-year-old right-hander had come into his outing against the Indians with a sparkling 1.38 ERA over four outings, but the pristine curveball he'd often demonstrated this spring was nowhere to be found, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "Whalen has been so good all camp," manager Scott Servais said. "It was disappointing today, he didn't have his command. His last time out he had an awesome curveball and he didn't go to it enough today. It does happen and is part of the process. Understanding where he came from to where he's at right now, he's still had a really good camp."
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Gunning for final rotation spot
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Whalen could be the Mariners' fifth starter if the team opts to utilize a five-man rotation while Erasmo Ramirez (lat) is sidelined, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
Whalen has been really sharp this spring, allowing just two runs in 13 innings pitched while producing a 19:4 K:BB. The Mariners will be able to go with a four-man rotation until April 11 if they so choose, but there is a chance that Ramirez won't be ready by then. Ariel Miranda is another option to fill the void in that case, but Whalen's outstanding spring showing is giving manager Scott Servais a lot to think about. Whalen may still start the season in the minors, but he could spend more time in the majors if he can carry this strong Cactus League performance into the regular season.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Rips through Rockies in Tuesday start
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Whalen compiled nine strikeouts while allowing one earned run on three hits and two walks over five innings in Tuesday's 8-7 Cactus League loss to the Rockies.
The emerging right-hander was masterful over his time on the mound, particularly utilizing his curveball with great effectiveness, reports Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Whalen has now racked up 19 whiffs over 13 spring innings, putting himself squarely in consideration for the fifth starter role if Erasmo Ramirez (lat) remains sidelined for the start of the regular season as expected. Manager Scott Servais seemed especially impressed with the fact that Whalen made an outing where he may have not been at his sharpest look like his best of spring through prudent use of his breaking ball. "Awesome outing by Whalen, highlight of the day. He probably didn't have his best stuff. He had a really good curveball. I thought the velocity was a tick back from what we've seen earlier in camp. But the curveball was outstanding."
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Pair of unearned runs Thursday
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Whalen (0-1) allowed two unearned runs on four hits, a walk, a wild pitch and a hit batsman over three innings in Thursday's 4-0 Cactus League loss to the Giants. He struck out three.
As his line implies, the 23-year-old undeniably had some location problems, but he also kept the strikeouts coming. Whalen is up to nine whiffs over eight spring innings, and one of the two unearned runs he allowed Thursday came on a double-play ball. Whalen's pair of exhibition starts have come as a result of Felix Hernandez's forearm injury, and with the latter beginning to ramp up his activity level in anticipation of a return, Thursday's turn may have been Whalen's last in the spring rotation. However, he's expected to continue getting a look out of the bullpen in anticipation of a potentially steady relief role with the big-league club at some point during the coming season.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Impressive in spot start
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Whalen started Saturday's 4-2 Cactus League win over the Angels in place of Felix Hernandez (forearm) and racked up four strikeouts over three innings of one-hit, one-run ball.
The promising 23-year-old now has six whiffs over five spring frames following Saturday's encouraging outing. His one stumble came in the first, when he allowed a one-out solo homer to Martin Maldonado. Following the round tripper, Whalen settled down in impressive fashion, recording all four of his strikeouts over the final seven batters he faced. Greg Johns of MLB.com reports manager Scott Servais was especially pleased with Whalen's offspeed pitches and expressed that he has "no doubt" that the right-hander will help the big-league club at some point in the coming season.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Filling in for King Felix on Saturday
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Whalen was named the starter for Saturday night's Cactus League game against the Angels in place of Felix Hernandez (forearm), Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.
It will be the 23-year-old's first Cactus League start of the year, following a two-inning scoreless stint against the Dodgers in his spring debut on Feb. 25. Whalen endured a rough 2017 in which he cut his season short in July due to anxiety and depression, but he's been praised by Mariners staff early in spring training with what appears to be a renewed and brighter outlook. The right-hander's first two regular-season major-league stints have been rocky (6.57 and 6.14 ERAs with the Braves and Mariners, respectively), but he'll look to secure a role on the big-league staff this spring.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Reinstated to 40-man
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Whalen (personal) was reinstated to the Mariners' 40-man roster Friday.
Whalen was initially placed on the restricted list in order to deal with "personal issues" but was added back onto the roster almost a month after Seattle's season came to a close. The right-hander only appeared in two games for the Mariners this season and spent most of his time with Triple-A Tacoma, posting a 6.58 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 10 starts.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Placed on restricted list Sunday
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Whalen was placed on the restricted list at Triple-A Tacoma in order to deal with "personal issues," Bob Dutton of The News Tribune reports.
Whalen has been struggling with the Rainiers, going 0-7 with a 6.58 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 53.1 innings across 10 starts. The 23-year-old right-hander's return date is currently unknown due to the nature of his absence, and his departure opens up another spot on the Mariners' 40-man roster for the time being.
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Mariners' Rob Whalen: Optioned to Triple-A
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Whalen was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.
Whalen tossed two scoreless innings in Saturday's loss to the Rangers, so his demotion to the minors has less to do with his performance than it does the Mariners' desire to get a fresher arm in the bullpen. Max Povse was added to the active roster to assume Whalen's role as the club's long reliever.
