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Mariners manager on closer Rodney: 'I don't care about his ERA'

Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon is going to live and die by his closer.

McClendon gave Fernando Rodney a vote of confidence following Friday's 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, despite the closer coughing up a two-run homer in the ninth inning to Chris Colabello.

"Our closer is what he is," McClendon said. "Hopefully, he's 49 out of 50 with a 6.00 ERA. I don't give a (blank). I don't care about his ERA. Just close the games out. Sometime's it's not easy."

Rodney has converted 11 of his 12 save opportunities to this point, but is the owner of an ugly 6.61 ERA in 16 1/3 innings. McClendon says his closer bears down when it's crunch time, however.

"He gets those one-run leads, I think he's a little bit more focused," McClendon added. "Three-run lead, he's a little more relaxed. It's just the animal that most closers are. It's not just him. I've seen it with other guys too. It gets within one or two and they tighten down."

The 38-year-old righty has been one of the most dominant stoppers in the game over the past three seasons, recording 133 saves from 2012-2014.

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