The Mariners announced today that infielder Tyler Smith has been designated for assignment to clear a spot on the roster for right-hander Cody Martin, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Tacoma. Seattle also optioned righty Andrew Moore to Tacoma and recalled right-hander Casey Lawrence.
Smith, 26, made his Major League debut with the Mariners this summer and appeared in 10 games, though he totaled just 19 plate appearances with a .188/.263/.250 slash in that minuscule sample. The second baseman/shortstop was hitting .239/.330/.347 with six homers and four steals through 330 PAs with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma at the time of his DFA.
As for Martin, he’ll rejoin the Mariners’ 40-man roster outrighted back in January. Seattle claimed Martin, 27, off waivers from the division-rival A’s in 2015, and he tossed 25 2/3 innings for them in 2016 before being removed from the 40-man roster this offseason. Through 28 1/3 innings out of the Tacoma bullpen, Martin has a 3.81 ERA with an impressive 11.8 K/9 mark against 2.5 BB/9. After logging a 47.1 percent ground-ball rate with the Mariners last year, he’s been an extreme fly-ball pitcher in 2017, inducing grounders at just a 29.7 percent clip in Tacoma.
So they must be planing on trading for a reliable starting.
Why do you say that? Moore just pitched so isn’t needed, plus we just acquired Erasmo back. Martin or Erasmo could take that slot….trust me, I want a better starter but don’t wanna get my hopes up.
My guess is if no else is acquired we see Marco Gonzales put into the rotation
Agreed but I hope they can trade for someone more established