Mariners beef up bullpen by acquiring Phelps

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

A seller once again as the non-waiver 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 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 AL wild-card standings.

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

“He becomes perhaps the most versatile reliever we have now in some ways,” said Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto. “He has the physical ability to go more than one inning, because he has the ability to face the lefts and the rights and he has the physical stuff to get strikeouts in a critical situation either with runners on base or just getting through toward the end of the game.”

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.