Andrés Muñoz is using his changeup more often this season, and the results have followed: a 1.69 ERA since April 24 for the Mariners closer. The shift comes after earlier trouble against left-handed hitters and three losses that forced him to rebuild trust in his arsenal.
Muñoz and the Mariners
Muñoz has started to turn to the pitch more frequently while trying to stay unpredictable. He has four strikeouts on changeups, a small but direct sign that the offering is becoming part of his late-inning mix rather than a show-me pitch.
That adjustment fits the role he already holds. As the Mariners’ closer, he is expected to finish games cleanly, and a more varied mix gives him another way to handle hitters who were earlier getting a better look at him.
April 24 and the turnaround
The 1.69 ERA since April 24 gives the changeup work a clear marker. Before that stretch, Muñoz had already been tagged with three losses, and the early-season damage against left-handed hitters made the need for a different look obvious.
He is not changing everything. He is adding more changeups to diversify his strategy and keep hitters off-balance, while trying to make the rest of his pitches play better. The goal is straightforward: restore trust in what he throws and make the ninth inning feel less predictable for opposing lineups.
Late innings for Seattle
For the Mariners, the practical takeaway is simple. If Muñoz keeps getting results while leaning on the changeup more, Seattle gains a closer whose arsenal is harder to sit on in tight games. The early-season losses are still part of the file, but the work since April 24 points to a cleaner path for the final outs.
That leaves the Mariners with a sharper version of their closer and a bullpen piece whose recent numbers support the adjustment. Four strikeouts on changeups and a 1.69 ERA since April 24 are not the whole season, but they are the clearest proof so far that the pitch mix is moving in the right direction.
