Right-hander Casey Lawrence is back with the Mariners — again. The two sides have agreed to yet another minor league pact, per the Mariners’ transaction log at MLB.com. Lawrence is represented by Big League Management.
If and when the 37-year-old veteran makes his way back to the major league roster, it’ll be his fourth stint with Seattle in 2025 alone. It’s been a wild year for Lawrence, who re-signed with the Mariners as a minor league free agent over the winter. This is the third season in which he’s logged big league time with the M’s, though his prior stints haven’t involved such frequent rides on the DFA carousel.
Lawrence was claimed by the Blue Jays on the heels of his most recent Mariners DFA, also marking the third season in which he’s suited up for Toronto. The Jays designated him after one long relief outing (2 2/3 innings, three runs allowed). He elected free agency after passing through waivers and is now back in the Pacific Northwest.
Across his three stints with Seattle this season, Lawrence has pitched 10 innings and allowed four earned runs (3.60 ERA) on 14 hits and a walk with four strikeouts. Coupled with his lone appearance in Toronto, Lawrence has a 4.97 ERA on the season. He’s fanned just 8.3% of the hitters he’s faced but also has just a 1.7% walk rate. He’s also made a pair of starts with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, totaling 10 1/3 innings and holding opponents to five runs on 13 hits with an 8-to-3 K/BB ratio (18.2 K%, 6.8 BB%).
Lawrence spent the entire 2024 season in the rotation for the Mariners’ Tacoma affiliate as well, so despite the frequent DFAs — four times already in a six-week-old season — there’s probably some stability with regard to his living situation. It may seem inconvenient to the player or even callous on the surface, but Lawrence seems comfortable with an arrangement that effectively renders him the 41st man on Seattle’s 40-man roster. Teams and players are typically up-front with one another in situations like this one; it’s not as though Lawrence is being blindsided by the frequent removal from the roster. The Mariners will likely continue to shuttle him on and off the 40-man roster when they need length in the bullpen or a spot start.
And to think Roansy Contreras was in DFA limbo all the time in the winter, Lawrence has basically done the same amount in what? A MONTH??
By my count, he has 21 days of big league service this year, which is about $88K even if his deals have the league minimum salary on them. (I would imagine it’s a bit higher.) Coupled with his minor league salary, he’s got to be over six figures on the year already.
Tumultuous ride, but there are far worse ways to make a very good living!
I do think about this- when a guy only makes like $88k do they still lose $3,520 or whatever to their agent? I mean, I assume they do, but at that level- ouch.
$100k ain’t what it used to be, especially with that extra percentage to an agent.
The world seems right again with Lawrence back with the M’s. Let’s hope they retire his number when he retires.
Oh, Dipoto…
I think the dfa carousel players are put on is ridiculous. I do think the rules need to be changed a bit to prevent this from happening so frequently. Probably 5 to 10 years ago, there was no such thing as the dfa carousel.
How much does a player like this make per game or day he’s on a roster?
Are Lawrence and Jesse Chavez BFF?
Charlie: Anyone keeping track? Who’s on top of the dfa leader board, Lawrence or Chavez?
Lawrence i think. 3 times with mariners, once with bluejays this year.
chavez i think is just 3 times with braves
41st man! It’s so bad with all of his transactions that now the headline has to say he signed again
Death, taxes, you know the rest.
When these players are in limbo going through waivers after being DFAed, they have about a week of down time. They all get a suite at the DFA Inn Jesse Chavez Proprietor!
Good luck this time around KC Larry
I think he’s ok with this when it’s Seattle but some jerk team had to claim him last time
I like the “Again” at the end of the headline
…and I also like your screen name
Thank you
At this point, you can just make a daily rumor for Lawrence, Roansy Contreras, and Jesse Chavez each.
What is the infatuation with this guy? 37yrs old with a career era over 6 and yet they keep bringing him back. Is he going to ‘turn a corner’ and become effective all of a sudden?
I just don’t get this move.
I dont get it-why they keep bringing him back
He pitches garbage innings for the M’s every now and again. Saves our bullpen. He pitched like 5 innings of relief for us and like 90 pitches in a blowout
Lawrence, Bowman, Nottingham….
Hopefully our MVP gained some insider knowledge on our arch-rivals the Blue Jays, given the Northern hordes will be invading this weekend.
Just tell them all that the concessions at T-Mobile are fresh out of Poutine and Labatt’s Blue…
You will likely see him in the organization when he retires. He’s just doing what he can to keep living the dream
Jiminy Christmas!
He lives in Tacoma during the season with his Wife and children. I certainly hope the team has promised him a coaching job when he retires.
Awesome to have our AAA club in Tacoma still. I remember when our AAA club was in Calgary. And Tacoma was with Oakland.