The Mariners announced that they have claimed right-hander Domingo González off waivers from the Braves and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma. Atlanta designated him for earlier this week when they claimed righty Connor Seabold. Seattle’s 40-man roster had a vacancy but is now full.
González, 25, has no major league experience yet. Originally an international signing of the Pirates, Atlanta nabbed him in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 draft. A couple of years later, after the 2024 campaign, Atlanta added him to their 40-man roster to prevent him from reaching minor league free agency.
He had done some starting while in the Pirates’ system but has been almost exclusively a reliever since joining the Braves. His only two starts since switching organizations were two-inning stints as an opener. Over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he logged 106 1/3 innings with a 3.55 earned run average. His 11.9% walk rate was a bit on the high side but he struck out 34.3% of opponents.
Given that performance, it’s understandable that Atlanta didn’t want him to get away and gave him a roster spot. But his results have backed up a bit this year. He has thrown 42 Triple-A innings with a 4.29 ERA, 21.4% strikeout rate and 11.5% walk rate. Those numbers seemingly prevented him from getting a big league call-up and also nudged him off the 40-man and onto the waiver wire.
For the Mariners, they had a free roster spot and have used it to scoop up González. Since he is in his first of three option years, the M’s could potentially be patient in trying to get him back on track. He has no major league service time yet, so he’ll be cheaply controllable for years to come if he can develop into a serviceable big league arm, though he’ll first have to show enough promise to hang onto a roster spot.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
Is he the replacement for Casey legumina?
I could see that happening before too long.
I wonder if Seattle will have him scrap the splitter and focus on his slider more.
Seems like Troy Taylor may be getting another shot soon
He has not been good in Tacoma.
I suspect that he gets DFAed when Santos comes off the 60 day IL, if Santos even returns at all.
They can still open a 40 man spot by moving Thornton to 60 day IL.
Robles will likely get that Thorton spot.
Robles is expected back after 1 September when rosters expand.
I don’t know when/if Santos is expected back, but they aren’t using Legumina right now.
We were taking about a 40 man roster spot.
I know that, but the point is that they won’t likely need to DFA anyone for a while. I don’t think González is necessarily the odd man out when they do. They should get a decent look at him in Tacoma before they need to make a decision.
Nobody was saying that they were going to DFA a player immediately.
We were talking about 40 man roster spots, not about the 26 to 28 man expansion on Sept. 1.
How many times are you going to mention the 40?
You suggested González would be DFA’d, regardless of when. I’m telling you there’s plenty of time for him to force someone else off the 40 when the time comes
I said “I suspect…”, I didn’t say he was very likely. We weren’t taking about roster expansion.
I know that there is time, we weren’t speaking to time constraints. Slund got it, that a 40 man roster spot would be needed.
You really had to mention the 40 yet again. And why do you keep saying “we”? You don’t speak for anyone else and the fact that a spot on the 40 may be needed for Santos doesn’t need to be said. It’s obvious, because he’s been on the 60.
You’re still missing the main point, which is that González may not be a casualty.
Have a nice day. I’m done with this.
You brought up Sept. roster expansion, which was superfluous because, Slund and I, we, were talking about 40 man roster moves.
I’m not sure why you can’t see that. Have a good day.
The 40 man roster move is my main point.
Don’t worry about Stevil. He’s works for Mariners so he knows everything. He had awesome predictions this spring. Butt hurt over Bergman. Management betrayed him personally. He said the Mariners were gonna suck because they didn’t spend hundreds of millions of dollars on big names. Keeps on hating on the trades they made at the deadline. Thinks Locklears gonna be a superstar. Stevils a war nerd that doesn’t understand the game is played on the field and not on paper in his parents basement. Guys have to actual hit and field.
I told him the mariners would be fine. A bunch of under performers last year that missed the playoffs by 1 game. Told him the biggest issues was the long relief bullpen and that starters probably won’t perform like last year. Hmmm. Looks like I was right. Guys are hitting better, long relief is shaky. And the starters are slightly worse. Still a winning team.
Haven’t heard an apology yet just more complaining that mariners isnt doing enough instead of blaming players for poor performance. At least hes consistent. Casual fans. Gotta love them.
I
I doubt Santos is coming back, the Mariners don’t even have him on their updates/injury list. They might have already made their minds up on his plans and their future.
Hence why I put that clause in “if Santos….”
Not sure if Santos would come up but I did see they put out an update on him the other day that he has been cleared for game action and could factor into bullpen in September
Yes. I heard on 93.3 that Santos might be back come September. Would be amazing if he came back and was what he was with the White Sox.
I heard that he was getting close, and then I just saw that he had been cleared too.
Chills
I don’t understand the Twins having Noah Davis and Erasmo Ramirez on their 40 and not putting a claim in for a guy like this. He has team control, is 25, could be a guy for their depleted bullpen.
Falvey knows he’s a lame duck GM and won’t even try at this point
Why would the Pohlad’s ok claiming this guy and adding salary when the team sucks and they’re trying to sell the franchise? No point, they’ve given up and don’t care about the organization or fans anymore. Direct your ire there.
could be a sneaky. good pickup for the Mariners, can’t believe he’s just in its first option yr
Interesting. If they can fix the BB problem, he might be something in 2026. But I don’t think Legumina is connected to this signing. Legumina should be DFA, but who replaces him? Taylor? Snider? It’s a little late to turn Emerson Hancock into a reliever (PTSD of moving Robbie Ray to the pen).
Meanwhile, on a completely different topic, could Lazaro Montes (who’s a below average defender in the OF) take the winter to learn how to be a decent 1B? He is 6’4″ after all and if they don’t sign Naylor, there’s nobody in the system who’s ready.
I’d give the ball the Hancock over Legumina every single day.
Be careful what you wish for. Hancock’s ERA in the 1st inning (the only comp for a reliever) is almost 9 (baseball savant). He’s not good right out of the gate. Like Legumina, I’d only use him for mop-up duty in a game we’re losing 18-2, the guy right before we use Dylan Moore to pitch.
I’d give the ball to Hancock over Legumina every single day.
That’s a good question. Watched him play this week. He DH’d
How did his running speed seem?
Domingo Gonzalez was a beast in 2024 but he did not perform as well in AAA as in AA. This year he continued to struggle in AAA. Not an ideal use of a 40 man roster spot but he has huge potential to be a cheap bullpen arm if Seattle can develop him in the next year or two.
Where are you Fred?