Headlines

  • Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base
  • Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton
  • Cubs To Promote Cade Horton
  • Mariners Claim Leody Taveras
  • Rangers Hire Bret Boone As Hitting Coach
  • A.J. Minter To Undergo Season-Ending Lat Surgery
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mariners Claim J.B. Bukauskas, Designate Alberto Rodriguez

By Darragh McDonald | January 17, 2023 at 3:45pm CDT

The Mariners announced that they have claimed right-hander J.B. Bukauskas off waivers from the Diamondbacks. In a corresponding move, outfielder Alberto Rodriguez has been designated for assignment. Bukauskas was designated for assignment last week when the D-Backs re-signed Zach Davies.

Bukauskas, 26, was a first round draft pick of the Astros in 2017 and he landed on top prospect lists shortly thereafter. However, many evaluators predicted his inability to consistently throw strikes would lead to a bullpen move down the line. Those predictions proved to be fairly astute as Bukauskas moved up the minor league ladder and struggled with walks. In 85 2/3 innings for Houston’s Double-A affiliate in 2019, he walked 14.2% of batters faced and posted a 5.25 ERA.

The Diamondbacks acquired Bukauskas alongside three other players when they traded Zack Greinke to Houston and have since had him spend most of his time as a reliever. His control has certainly improved in that time but injuries have limited him to a small workload. In 2021, he only pitched 30 innings between the majors and the minors due to a strain in his throwing elbow. Last year, a Grade 2 strain in the teres major muscle in his shoulder put him on the injured list from the start of the year until July. The D-Backs kept him on the farm once he was healthy, but he fared well there. He posted a 2.42 ERA in 22 1/3 innings while striking out 25.3% of batters faced and walking just 4.6% of them. Most of that work came in the Pacific Coast League as well, which has a reputation for being quite hitter-friendly.

The M’s have decided to take a shot on Bukauskas to see if they can be the ones to benefit from a breakout. The righty still has an option year remaining, allowing them to keep him in the minors until he’s needed with the big league club. He also has just over a year of service time and can be kept around for the foreseeable future as long as he holds a spot on the 40-man.

In order to take a chance on Bukauskas, the M’s are risking losing the 22-year-old Rodriguez. An amateur signing of the Blue Jays, he was traded to the Mariners as part of the 2020 deal that sent Taijuan Walker to the Jays. In 2021, he hit .289/.379/.470 between Single-A and High-A, a strong enough showing to get him added to the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft. Last year, he went back to High-A and still hit fairly well. His .261/.336/.396 showing was good enough for a 106 wRC+, or 6% above league average. However, he struck out in 26.2% of his plate appearances and only stole six bases after going well into double digits in previous seasons.

The Mariners will now have a week to trade Rodriguez or pass him through waivers. Though his 2022 season wasn’t ideal, he’s still a young and talented outfielder who has a couple of option years remaining. As recently as midway through 2022, Baseball America still considered him one of the club’s top 30 prospects.

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Seattle Mariners Transactions Alberto Rodriguez J.B. Bukauskas

Orioles Outright Lewin Díaz
Main
Marlins Have Been In Contact With Yuli Gurriel
View Comments (12)
Post a Comment

12 Comments

  1. CaptainJudge99

    2 years ago

    I would definitely put in a claim for Alberto Rodriguez and quickly.

    3
    Reply
    • jdgoat

      2 years ago

      It’s crazy that people born in the 2000’s are now getting DFA’d

      4
      Reply
    • In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani

      2 years ago

      Why?

      Reply
    • BuddyBoy

      2 years ago

      Rodriguez is not likely a ML player. He’s been pro for six years now and is still in A ball. Was worth the spot last year but regressed this year so need to move forward.

      3
      Reply
  2. In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani

    2 years ago

    He reminds me of this guy: Chris Jakubauskas
    baseball-reference.com/players/j/jakubch01.shtml
    Though their names aren’t quite similar, both are really unique and memorable names.

    3
    Reply
    • Ichirosasaki

      2 years ago

      I was thinking the same thing!

      4
      Reply
  3. Cuso

    2 years ago

    Bookackus

    Reply
  4. swinging wood

    2 years ago

    This article title is NSFW.

    1
    Reply
  5. myaccount2

    2 years ago

    Wow, I hate this. Seems like Rodriguez could’ve been traded in some fashion (even if just for a lower-level prospect) and it would shock me if he isn’t claimed.

    2
    Reply
  6. SodoMojo90

    2 years ago

    Rodriguez will be claimed quickly im assuming. Too bad

    1
    Reply
  7. compassrose

    2 years ago

    You watch Backabounkasosasbyofcn will turn into a inning eating BP phenom. I can’t wait to hear Dave pronounce his name. Then I would like to hear him say he is retiring. That is a discussion for later.

    1
    Reply
    • SodoMojo90

      2 years ago

      I’ve been waiting for Dave to go for ever. Constantly making non baseball references about people that nobody knows or Philadelphia references that nobody in Seattle gives a crap about. It just amusing at this point

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

  • Top Stories
  • Recent

Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base

Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton

Cubs To Promote Cade Horton

Mariners Claim Leody Taveras

Rangers Hire Bret Boone As Hitting Coach

A.J. Minter To Undergo Season-Ending Lat Surgery

Blue Jays Sign Spencer Turnbull

Blue Jays Sign José Ureña

Ross Stripling Retires

Rangers Place Leody Taveras On Outright Waivers

Triston Casas Likely To Miss Entire 2025 Season Due To Knee Surgery

Orioles Recall Coby Mayo

Dodgers Recall Hyeseong Kim

Triston Casas Suffers “Significant Knee Injury”

Angels Place Mike Trout On 10-Day Injured List

Rangers Option Jake Burger

Tigers Designate Kenta Maeda For Assignment

Reds Option Alexis Diaz

Orioles Move Charlie Morton To Bullpen

Astros To Activate Lance McCullers Jr. This Weekend

Rafael Devers Meets With Red Sox Owner John Henry

Pirates Notes: Shelton, Haddad, Cherington, Nutting, Valdez

The Biggest Trade In Nationals History Looks Better Every Day

Lou Trivino Elects Free Agency

Orioles Outright Walter Pennington

Nationals Release Lucas Sims

Kyle Wright Pulled Off Rehab Stint With Shoulder Fatigue, Continuing To Play Catch

Padres Trade Connor Joe To Reds

Latest On Anthony Rizzo

White Sox To Select Tim Elko

ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

Latest Rumors & News

Latest Rumors & News

  • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
  • Nolan Arenado Rumors
  • Dylan Cease Rumors
  • Luis Robert Rumors
  • Marcus Stroman Rumors

 

Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

MLBTR Features

MLBTR Features

  • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
  • Front Office Originals
  • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
  • MLBTR Podcast
  • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
  • 2025 Arbitration Projections
  • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
  • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
  • Contract Tracker
  • Transaction Tracker
  • Extension Tracker
  • Agency Database
  • MLBTR On Twitter
  • MLBTR On Facebook
  • Team Facebook Pages
  • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

Rumors By Team

  • Angels Rumors
  • Astros Rumors
  • Athletics Rumors
  • Blue Jays Rumors
  • Braves Rumors
  • Brewers Rumors
  • Cardinals Rumors
  • Cubs Rumors
  • Diamondbacks Rumors
  • Dodgers Rumors
  • Giants Rumors
  • Guardians Rumors
  • Mariners Rumors
  • Marlins Rumors
  • Mets Rumors
  • Nationals Rumors
  • Orioles Rumors
  • Padres Rumors
  • Phillies Rumors
  • Pirates Rumors
  • Rangers Rumors
  • Rays Rumors
  • Red Sox Rumors
  • Reds Rumors
  • Rockies Rumors
  • Royals Rumors
  • Tigers Rumors
  • Twins Rumors
  • White Sox Rumors
  • Yankees Rumors

ad: 160x600_MLB

Navigation

  • Sitemap
  • Archives
  • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

MLBTR INFO

  • Advertise
  • About
  • Commenting Policy
  • Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top

Register

Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version