It’s Time for Unraveling Mariners to Call Up Kade Anderson

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American League pitcher Kade Anderson (32) throws a pitch against National League in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images [/caption]

Let’s face it. The Seattle Mariners’ season is circling the drain. While they are not technically eliminated, it certainly doesn’t feel like they will even come close to the goals they had at the start of the season. Winning the AL pennant and getting to the franchise’s first World Series now feel like little more than a pipe dream.

Sure, mathematically, things can turn around. But Mariners fans have been hearing about it all year. How it’s a “long season” and this team is “too talented” to fail so hard. Yet they have. When you look inside the dugout during games, there is more enthusiasm at a mortician’s convention. This team, and fanbase, need a jolt of excitement, even if it’s temporary and won’t necessarily help them make the playoffs.

Whenever a team calls up one of their prized prospects, there is instant excitement. The Mariners certainly have no shortage of highly touted prospects. None might be more hyped than left-handed starting pitcher Kade Anderson.

Anderson basically was the heir apparent to Paul Skenes at LSU. He helped LSU win a national title in 2025 and was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player. The lefty fell to third overall in the 2025 draft and the Mariners pounced immediately, signing him to an $8.8 million bonus.

This year is Anderson’s first as a professional pitcher. Yet, he is proving that he is ready for the big leagues. In 17 starts for Double-A Arkansas, he is one of the most dominant pitchers in the minors. His 1.13 ERA, 128 strikeouts, and 1/23 walks-per-nine-innings rate are all the best of the entire Texas League. All that, while being the fifth-youngest pitcher in the league.

As of now, Anderson ranks as the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball and the top pitching prospect in baseball. He sits in the mid-90s for his fastball, while mixing in a hard slider and slower curve. His changeup has nice movement too. The four-pitch mix should allow him to be a long-term starting pitcher.

For the Mariners, it’s time to call him up. Through almost 90 innings in Double-A, it’s clear there isn’t much more he needs to prove there, and another detour to Triple-A Tacoma doesn’t feel necessary for a prospect of his caliber. Meanwhile, the Mariners have not been getting the same consistent starting pitching that they were to start the year.

Over his last five starts, Bryce Miller has struggled mightily to the tune of a 5.81 ERA. That includes him allowing at least four earned runs in three of the five appearances. Essentially, he has put games out of reach for the Mariners before they can even turn it over to the bullpen. Bryan Woo has been better of late, but still sports a 4.15 ERA, a far cry from his breakout season last year.

While Woo isn’t going anywhere, Miller has minor league options remaining. It might be time to send him down to Tacoma for a spell. Let him get right and gain confidence again. Meanwhile, Anderson can come up and take his spot in the rotation. Given how elite Anderson’s numbers are in Double-A, this could be strictly a “let’s see what this kid’s got” experiment. What do the Mariners have to lose at this point?

Certainly, they have already done plenty of losing already. They are 11-20 over their last 31 games. Could calling up Anderson spark the team into a playoff run? Not likely. Would it inject life into a fanbase starving for positivity? Absolutely.