Brandon League is no longer the Mariners' closer, moving to a "mix and match" strategy in the ninth inning, manager Eric Wedge told reporters (via the Seattle Times) before Saturday's game with the Angels.
League had blown three of his last five save attempts and five overall.
League, 29, was an All-Star last season when he saved 37 games for the Mariners. This season he has nine saves, but a 4.43 ERA with nearly as many walks (12) as strikeouts (13). He walked just 10 batters all of last season.
Friday night League gave up three runs on two hits and had a throwing error in the loss to the Angels.
League's troubles don't just hurt their record this year, it could also put a damper on their rebuilding efforts. The right-hander is a free agent after the season, and it would be a shock if the Mariners didn't trade him before the July 31 trade deadline. At this point the Mariners need League to perform so that he'll be as attractive as possible to any trade partners.
