The Mariners announced that they have recalled outfielder Dominic Canzone from Triple-A Tacoma. In a corresponding move, fellow outfielder Leody Taveras has been designated for assignment. The M’s also announced that right-hander Casey Lawrence, who was designated for assignment a couple of days ago, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A.
Seattle somewhat surprisingly claimed Taveras off waivers earlier this year, despite him being owed about $3.73MM at the time of that move. Seattle had been hamstrung financially throughout the offseason, with ownership providing the front office a reported $15-16MM to try to add as many as three bats to the lineup. Presumably, ownership was emboldened by a hot start to the season and gave the green light to a buy-low opportunity on Taveras while both Victor Robles and Luke Raley were on the injured list.
Simply put, it hasn’t worked. At the time of his DFA in Texas, Taveras was hitting just .241/.259/.342 with a career-worst 28% strikeout rate and exit velocity and hard-hit numbers. The switch-hitter’s batted-ball metrics have improved, but the bottom-line results have only gotten worse.
In 98 plate appearances with the M’s, Taveras has posted an anemic .174/.198/.272 batting line with a 27.6% strikeout rate. He’s cut down on his chase rate and been more aggressive within the strike zone, but the Mariners, who’ve dropped 10 of their past 14 games and fallen 2.5 games back of the Astros in the AL West, apparently don’t feel they have the luxury of waiting to see if the improved approach and stronger contact eventually manifest in better production.
Taveras will be placed on waivers or traded within the next five days. If he clears waivers, he’ll surely accept an outright assignment to Tacoma, as he doesn’t have enough service time to reject an outright and retain the remainder of his salary. As of this writing, he’s still owed about $2.86MM of this year’s $4.75MM salary. Any team that claims Taveras would be responsible for that sum, but they’d also gain control over the switch-hitting speedster through the 2027 season.
Taveras gave the Rangers two solid years from 2022-23, slashing a combined .264/.311/.400 with plus defense and the flexibility to play any of the three outfield positions. Even in a down year in 2024, when he batted .229/.289/.352, he provided value on the basepaths and with the glove. Perhaps that track record, plus the encouraging trends in his plate discipline and batted-ball quality, would be enough to get him a look elsewhere. The Royals reportedly had interest in claiming Taveras last time he was on waivers but balked at the $3.73MM he had left to be paid out. By the time he hits waivers, the remaining commitment to him will be nearly $1MM less than the first time he was on waivers.
In place of Taveras, Canzone will get another opportunity to prove he can be a piece of the puzzle at T-Mobile Park. He hit just .196/.271/.381 in 188 plate appearances with the Mariners last year and went hitless in three plate appearances earlier this season. The 27-year-old is having a big year in Triple-A, however, mashing at a .296/.360/.564 clip with 13 home runs, a 9.1% walk rate and a 21.3% strikeout rate. He’s batting .382/.488/.529 with as many walks as strikeouts across his past nine games.
As for Lawrence, this is just the latest trip around the Seattle-Tacoma DFA carousel for the journeyman right-hander. He’s now had five different stints with the Mariners in 2025 alone. The soft-tossing 37-year-old has pitched 15 innings with a flat 3.00 ERA for the Mariners this year, plus one lone 2 2/3-inning appearance for the Blue Jays, wherein he allowed three runs.
Overall, Lawrence has 17 2/3 MLB frames with a 4.08 earned run average on the season. His 8.8% strikeout rate is as low as you’ll find, but he’s walked only 1.3% of opponents. The Mariners are effectively utilizing Lawrence and fellow journeyman Jesse Hahn as 41st and 42nd members of their 40-man roster, selecting them to the majors when they need an extra arm for some length and then designating them for assignment and passing them through waivers to bring back an optionable arm as needed.
It’s a tumultuous way to earn a living in some respects, but the team has been upfront with the righty about his role and Lawrence is clearly amenable to the setup. He’s picked up 34 days of major league service time this year — players accrue MLB pay and service while in DFA limbo and/or on outright waivers — and thus banked at least $142K in major league salary alone (which doesn’t even include his minor league pay).
that was a quick hook
I imagine if he didn’t misread every other flyball he would have had a longer leash. Turns out if you can’t hit a lick or field your position, you get the axe pretty quick.
Canzone has shown every year that he is not a major league hitter.
Well Taveras has shown he’s not a major league hitter OR defensive outfielder.
He had a pretty solid 4 months in ’22 or ’23, but that drop in Anaheim loomed large.
Well there you go San Diego go get him.
Well, of course 300 at bats spread over three years tells you everything about a player. With his .650 OPS career at the ML level he’s better than five guys currently on the ML roster not counting Taveras
Canzone has less than 400 big league at bats and is a neutral WAR player in that time. He’s also hit well at AAA. There are players that have done less with more chances.
Took Frelick about that to turn it around.
Not yet THIS year
A former Ranger, future Padre…
Ugh, no thanks.
The wheels may already be in motion, Tow. I agree that we could do much better than this guy but you know AJ and his love for former Rangers…
Sadly, you’re right, I could see this happening.
But I’d prefer an under-the-radar type of deal. Doesn’t have to be a big name guy…
So did we just waste 4 million unless he gets claimed
I get the sentiment, but typing the money “we” wasted is silly , unless you have an ownership stake in the Mariner organization.
It’s not silly. Ownership has money to spend because of the fans.
And Walmart only has money because of the customers. Do you often say “We just spent ten million on a new computer system?”
So, why do players, management and even ownership thank their fans when they have success?
Pretty big difference between fans of a baseball club that pay to get performance and customers of a store that leave with a product they pay for and leave with.
The Rangers really got away with that one!
Sometimes a picture sums up an entire article…
Fortunately for Taveras the Mariners AAA team is in Tacoma so he doesn’t have to move.
For what it’s worth, Canzone has been dominating AAA for some time now. This move isn’t terribly surprising.
This does not move the needle. Trading for Ryan O’Hearn and Cedric Mullins does. Also need another “closer like” reliever and a 2nd baseman.
I hope that Jerry and Justin and trying to make moves. Need at Least two more bats and a reliever.
What do you think about Marcell Ozuna as a rental bat ?? Or should the M’s stay away because of the off-field stuff?? I like the idea of O’Hearn as well, probably a better fit over Ozuna. Don’t think we need Mullins and we have the highly touted prospect Cole Young at second for the time being.
Baltimore has been hot lately and it’s early enough for them to climb back into the postseason hunt. I don’t think O’Hearn or Mullins are available. Not yet, anyway.
They really have nothing to lose with this. Taveras set the bar low. If Canzone hits, they can use Raley at first when he returns. If not, they’ll likely be shopping for a corner outfielder or first baseman in July, and perhaps by then some better names will be available.
And Locklear? And if Lawrence and Hahn are the 41st and 42nd players, couldn’t Thornton become the 43rd? Please?
Great investment in Taveras.
I like the idea of Ozuna as a rental bat. The O’s have been playing better so neither may not be available right now but I could not disagree with you more that we don’t need Cedric Mullins. , Mullins would be a Huge upgrade in Right Field. They just let Taveras go……Calzone is not the answer to make a playoff run with. As much as I like how hard Luke Raley plays, Mullins is a much better hitter. I hope that Cole Young is the answer in the future but he has not hit since coming up and even if he does, someone like B. Lowe of the Rays is again, a big upgrade. They need a right fielder, a 2nd baseman, a reliver and possibly a 1st baseman (I would personally trade for O”Hearn in a heartbeat). .
I agree that they have nothing to lose by bringing Calzone up and releasing Taveras. Leody did not look like he was ready to play when he had to come in for Julio on Saturday night.
I’d order the pizza, rather than the calzone.
Our weekly Casey Lawrence mention!!