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Casey Lawrence

Blue Jays Select Eric Lauer, Designate Casey Lawrence For Assignment

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The Blue Jays announced that they have selected left-hander Eric Lauer to their roster. To open a 40-man spot for him, Casey Lawrence has been designated for assignment. Prior to the official announcement, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic relayed that Lauer was no longer scheduled to start for Triple-A Buffalo. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported that Lauer was on his way to join the Jays.

Lauer, 30 in June, signed a minor league deal with the Jays in the offseason. He’s been pitching out of the Buffalo rotation so far this year, having logged 24 innings over five starts. He has allowed 4.50 earned runs per nine with a 20.6% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate.

The Jays need some innings, whether that’s from a starter or a bulk guy pitching behind an opener. Left-hander Easton Lucas took a rotation spot earlier in the year when Max Scherzer landed on the injured list. Lucas had two good starts and two awful ones, getting optioned to Buffalo last week.

The Jays planned to use some off-days in the schedule to have a four-man rotation for a while, though Mother Nature interrupted there. A rainout in the Bronx on Saturday led to a Sunday doubleheader, with Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt starting those two games. After an off-day on Monday, Bowden Francis started against the Red Sox last night. José Berríos could have started on regular rest today but the club would have needed someone to start Thursday’s game.

The club grabbed Lawrence off waivers on Monday to give them a long man on the heels of the doubleheader. He was needed immediately, as Francis only lasted three innings yesterday. After Dillon Tate and Mason Fluharty got four and six outs respectively, Lawrence came in and absorbed 2 2/3 innings of long relief. Lauer logged five innings in each of his four most recent starts for the Bisons, so he will ideally give the club some length today. The last of those starts was on Thursday, so he’ll be on five days of rest today.

It’s unclear if he’ll stick on the roster beyond today’s game. The Jays have another off-day on Monday, so they could go back down to four starters for a couple of turns. Lucas was optioned on April 21st, so he’ll be beyond the 15-day minimum by next week and could be recalled. Jake Bloss has also been in better form of late, with his two most recent Triple-A starts resulting in 12 strikeouts and no earned runs allowed. That could get Lauer bumped off the roster, depending on how things go in today’s game. It’s also possible Lauer holds a rotation spot for a few turns while Lucas and Bloss stay in Buffalo as depth.

Either way, Lauer will be making his first major league appearance in quite some time. He had a solid run with the Padres and Brewers earlier in his career. From 2018 to 2022, he had a 4.11 ERA over 550 innings. His 22.1% strikeout rate and 8.7% walk rate were both around league average. But in 2023, a shoulder impingement sent him to the injured list for most of the year. He was only able to toss 46 2/3 innings with a 6.56 ERA. He split 2024 between Triple-A clubs of the Astros and Pirates as well as the Kia Tigers of the KBO League, with an ERA near 5.00 in all of those stops.

He is out of options and can’t be easily sent back down to the minors if this is just a spot start situation. If he’s later designated for assignment and passed through waivers unclaimed, he would have the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency. Players gain that right when they have a previous career outright or at least three years of service time, with Lauer meeting both criteria.

Lawrence heads into DFA limbo for the fourth time this year, the first three being with the Mariners. He was called up by Seattle whenever they needed a fresh arm to cover long relief innings. Since he is out of options, he was designated for assignment a few days after being called up in each instance. The first two DFAs resulted in him clearing waivers and returning to the team, though the Jays claimed him on the third try.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Blue Jays Claim Casey Lawrence

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The Blue Jays have claimed right-hander Casey Lawrence off waivers from the Mariners, according to announcements from both clubs. The righty had been designated for assignment by Seattle over the weekend. The Jays opened a 40-man roster spot yesterday by transferring Ryan Burr to the 60-day injured list. Lawrence is out of options so the Jays will need to open an active roster spot once he reports to the club.

Lawrence, 37, is a veteran swingman who has bounced between the Jays, Mariners and Cardinals in his big league career. He has often served as a multi-inning reliever, soaking up innings to save an overworked pitching staff from further taxation.

This year, he has essentially been the 41st man on Seattle’s 40-man roster. He started the season with the Mariners on a minor league deal. They have selected his contract to the roster three times. In all three cases, he was designated for assignment within a few days. In the first two instances, he cleared waivers and then returned to the big league club once needed. He has a 3.60 earned run average in ten innings over four appearances.

This time, he didn’t clear waivers, as the Jays now have a need for such a pitcher. They recently optioned Easton Lucas, dropping their five-man rotation down to four. Thanks to some off-days, the club planned to go with a four-man rotation for a while, but a rainout on Saturday seemingly altered those plans.

Both Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt had to start yesterday to cover the doubleheader, which was the result of the postponement. The club is off today then has Bowden Francis on schedule for tomorrow. José Berríos could start on regular rest on Wednesday after starting on Friday. But neither Gausman nor Bassitt would be on regular rest for Wednesday’s game. Jake Bloss started for Triple-A Buffalo yesterday and won’t be an option by Wednesday either. Lucas was only optioned a week ago, on April 21. He can’t return to the big league within 15 days of that move unless replacing an injured player on the roster. Eric Lauer is an option as he’s been in the Triple-A rotation and tossed five innings on Thursday, though he’s not on the 40-man roster at present.

Perhaps Lawrence will make a spot start or simply give the club a long relief option for the next few days. Paxton Schultz tossed 57 pitches in relief of Gausman in the first game of yesterday’s twin bill, one of six relievers the club used yesterday. Schultz might not be available for a few days after that, so Lawrence could step in as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen.

It’s entirely possible that it will be another short stint for Lawrence on a club’s roster, just with the Jays this time instead of the Mariners, something he recently spoke to Tim Booth of The Seattle Times about. “I think I’m used to kind of the movement of it,” Lawrence said. “And I think it’s one of those things where you understand your role in the team and you’re willing to do whatever is going to help the team. Right now, it’s kind of doing this.”

Though living out of a suitcase is surely a challenge, Lawrence seems to be focused on appreciating what time in the majors he does have left. “I’ve been fortunate, like I said, and I never take it for granted,” Lawrence said. “Especially when you’re like this, you’re kind of riding the roller coaster a little bit. So I take every day for what it’s worth, and really try to be where my feet are, just be a part of the team.”

Though he’s still carving out some playing time, he’s self-aware enough that his mind has wandered to what’s next. “I know that at 37, I’m on the back end of my career. And I know when I’m done playing, I want to get into player development or front office, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say, I’ve had those conversations of, ‘Am I ready for that yet?’ But I’m not there yet,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images

Mariners Place Logan Gilbert On 15-Day IL, Plan To Select Logan Evans; Casey Lawrence DFA’d

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TODAY: Evans has officially been selected to the roster ahead of his start today. Saucedo was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

April 26: The Mariners placed right-hander Logan Gilbert on the 15-day injured list today with a flexor strain in his pitching elbow. Additionally, Seattle designated right-hander Casey Lawrence for assignment and recalled right-hander Troy Taylor and left-hander Tayler Saucedo from Triple-A.

Losing Gilbert for any period of time is a tough blow for the Mariners. Thankfully, however, he seems to have avoided the worst. He exited his most recent start with the always ominous-sounding “forearm tightness,” and the M’s anxiously awaited the results of his MRI. Yet, his injury has been diagnosed as a Grade 1 (a.k.a. mild) strain. According to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, the righty will be shut down for two weeks before being re-evaluated. While there is no timeline for his return, Gilbert seems optimistic. He told reporters (including Kramer) that the injury wasn’t “really bad” and said he feels “better today already than I did yesterday.”

Gilbert has been one of the most durable and productive starters in the American League since his debut in May 2021. In that time, he has a 3.55 ERA, a 3.56 SIERA, a 4.84 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and he is tied for first among AL pitchers in starts. After making his first All-Star appearance and earning some Cy Young votes last season, he has looked better than ever in 2025, with a 2.37 ERA through six starts. His 1.87 SIERA and 37.6% strikeout rate both rank first among qualified pitchers.

Taylor and Saucedo are relievers, so neither is a replacement for Gilbert. Having the two of them on the active roster will simply offer manager Dan Wilson some additional bullpen depth tonight against the Marlins. Instead, the Mariners will replace one Logan with another, as Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reports that pitching prospect Logan Evans will make his major league debut tomorrow. Gilbert’s turn in the rotation wouldn’t have come again until Friday against the Rangers, and thanks to off days coming up on Monday and Thursday, Seattle theoretically could have survived with a four-man rotation until May 6. Instead, however, they will give the ball to Evans tomorrow afternoon.

The Mariners selected Evans late in the 2023 draft, but the young righty put up strong numbers as he pitched his way through the minor league system. Entering the season, Baseball America ranked him as Seattle’s eighth-best prospect, describing him as a “safe No. 3 or 4 starter who should be able to post strong innings totals every season.” Keith Law of The Athletic had a similar evaluation, ranking Evans tenth in the organization and writing, “He’s at least a No. 4, though, and I’ll bet on any pitcher who’s already shown this kind of capacity to make adjustments.” His stuff isn’t overpowering, but his arsenal is deep, and his above-average abilities to throw strikes and induce grounders should help him pitch deep into games. Through five starts at Triple-A in 2025, he has a 3.86 ERA and 2.90 FIP in 25 2/3 innings of work.

Lawrence has already been DFA’d by the Mariners twice this year. After first pitching for the Mariners from 2017-18, he returned in 2024 and spent the season at Triple-A Tacoma. He re-upped with the club on another minor league pact this offseason and has so far pitched 10 innings over two separate stints in the majors, giving up 11 runs, but only four earned runs, in that time. He took over for Gilbert on Friday after he exited early and ate five innings for the Mariners in an 8-4 loss. That surely explains why he was DFA’d; he won’t be able to pitch for several days, and the Mariners’ bullpen would have been thin had they kept him around. Considering he has already cleared waivers, elected free agency, and re-signed with Seattle twice this season, there’s a good chance that’s exactly what will happen again.

Mariners Select Casey Lawrence

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The Mariners announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Casey Lawrence. Fellow righty Sauryn Lao was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding active roster move. To get Lawrence onto the 40-man, outfielder Víctor Robles was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Robles suffered a left shoulder dislocation a couple of weeks ago and isn’t expected back for several months.

Lawrence and the Mariners seem to have an arrangement that is working for both of them. The season is only a few weeks old but this is already the third time he has been selected to the roster. He signed a minor league deal with the M’s in the winter and was called up to the majors on April 9th. A few days later, he was designated for assignment, cleared waivers and elected free agency. He returned on a fresh minor league deal and was back on the roster by April 18th. Once again, he was quickly DFA’d and cleared waivers but is now back on the roster a third time.

Around those transactions, he has served as a multi-inning reliever for the club. He has logged five innings across three appearances thus far, having allowed two earned runs. By continually shuffling him on and off the roster, the Mariners can keep fresh arms moving in and out of the bullpen.

Lawrence is out of options, which necessitates him continually being removed from the 40-man. He has the right to elect free agency as a player with a previous career outright but seems content to circling back to the Mariners each time. From his perspective, he gets to add a bit of major league pay and service time, not a bad outcome for a 37-year-old journeyman.

Emerson Hancock, the least established member of the Seattle rotation, takes the ball tonight for the M’s at Fenway Park. If he gets into trouble, Lawrence will likely be called upon to sop up some innings and save the rest of the bullpen before tomorrow’s day game.

Photo courtesy of Stephen Brashear, Imagn Images

Casey Lawrence Elects Free Agency

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April 22: Seattle announced on Tuesday that Lawrence cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A Tacoma. According to the MiLB.com transaction log, he elected free agency. There’s a decent chance he’ll re-sign with the Mariners on another minor league deal, as he did after electing free agency last week.

April 20: The Mariners announced this morning that they’ve designated right-hander Casey Lawrence for assignment. Right-hander Sauryn Lao was selected to the roster to replace Lawrence on the 40-man and active rosters.

Lawrence, 37, is a journeyman who has pitched in parts of five MLB seasons. After signing with the Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent back in 2010, the right-hander spent years climbing up the minor league ladder before finally reaching the majors during the 2017 season. He struggled to a 6.64 ERA with a 5.08 FIP in 78 2/3 innings of work for the Jays and Mariners over the next two years before heading overseas to pitch for Nippon Professional Baseball’s Hiroshima Carp in 2019. Lawrence posted a 4.80 ERA in 110 2/3 innings of work for the Carp and did not pitch professionally during the 2020 season.

He resurfaced in Toronto during the 2021 season and has oscillated between the majors and Triple-A in the years since then, with a 6.62 ERA and 6.12 FIP across 50 1/3 innings between the Blue Jays, Cardinals, and Mariners. His most recent stint in Seattle has seen the right-hander post five innings of three-run (two earned) ball, though he’s failed to strike out any of the 20 batters he’s faced. The Mariners will have one week to work out a trade involving Lawrence or pass him through waivers, and if he goes unclaimed he’ll have the option to either accept and outright assignment back to the minor leagues or elect free agency in search of a better deal elsewhere.

Lawrence’s departure makes room for Lao on the active and 40-man rosters. Signed by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic back in 2016, Lao was initially signed as a corner infielder but converted to pitching after struggling to hit at the High-A level. He made his first pitching appearances in 2023 and looked good enough to reach the Double-A level, and last year dominated Double-A to the tune of a 1.90 ERA in 20 relief appearances before getting promoted to Triple-A. The inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League was not kind to Lao, as he surrendered a 5.22 ERA in 29 1/3 innings of work. That was his last work in a Dodgers uniform, as he elected minor league free agency and signed with Seattle.

He’s made three abbreviated starts for Seattle so far at Triple-A, and looked good in doing so with a 2.00 ERA and a 21.2% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 3%. Lao figures to serve as a long man for the Seattle bullpen, offering bulk relief to the club now that Lawrence is off the roster and Emerson Hancock has taken up a rotation job. Lao figures to be especially important for the Mariners in the coming days after the club went 12 innings against the Blue Jays last night, only five of which were handled by starter Logan Gilbert.

Mariners Select Casey Lawrence

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The Mariners announced Friday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Tacoma. He’d cleared waivers after being designated for assignment a week ago, briefly elected free agency, and returned on another minor league deal. He’s now right back in the big leagues. Righty Troy Taylor was optioned to Tacoma in his place.

This marks the latest stop in a frequent matchup between Lawrence and the Mariners. Seattle originally claimed the righty off waivers back in 2017, and while he’s bounced around the league at times, he’s repeatedly made his way back to the M’s, signing a quartet of minor league deals and pitching for them in parts of three different seasons. Lawrence also spent the entire 2024 campaign in the Mariners organization, though he wasn’t brought up from Triple-A Tacoma at any point last season.

In 127 major league innings between the Blue Jays, Mariners and Cardinals, Lawrence has pitched to a 6.73 ERA with a 16.6% strikeout rate and an 8.5% walk rate. He’s also pitched in parts of 10 Triple-A seasons, working to a 4.32 ERA in 733 frames at the top minor league level.

It could very well be another short stint for Lawrence, who seems amenable to serving as a depth arm with the Mariners and riding the DFA carousel for the time being. He’ll give Seattle a fresh arm after a wild, back-and-forth extra-innings game saw the Mariners burn through seven relievers en route to a victory over the Reds yesterday. Each of Andres Munoz, Trent Thornton, Gabe Speier and Carlos Vargas has now pitched on back-to-back days, so Lawrence has a good chance at getting into tonight’s series opener in Toronto.

Casey Lawrence Elects Free Agency

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April 16: The Mariners announced that Lawrence cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Tacoma. MLBTR has learned that Lawrence will elect free agency rather than accept that assignment.

April 14: The Mariners announced Monday that right-hander Casey Lawrence has been designated for assignment. His spot on the roster will go to righty Troy Taylor, who’s being reinstated from the 15-day injured list. It’s also worth noting that right-hander Jesse Hahn, whom Seattle outrighted to Triple-A over the weekend, has rejected that assignment in favor of free agency, according to the transaction log at MiLB.com.

Lawrence, 37, was called to the big leagues last week for a return stint with Seattle. He pitched the final three innings of their April 9 game against the Astros and was credited with a win after allowing a pair of runs on four hits and a walk (no strikeouts). It’s the third season in which the well-traveled Lawrence has suited up for the Mariners. He also pitched with Seattle in 2017 and 2018, in addition to spending the entire 2024 season with their Triple-A club. In 127 big league innings, Lawrence has a 6.73 ERA with a 16.6% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate.

The Mariners clearly like Lawrence and have a good relationship with him. Since 2017, they’ve claimed him off waivers and signed him to three minor league contracts. He can be placed on waivers or traded at any point in the next five days. Waivers would be another 48-hour process.

Within a week’s time, we’ll know the outcome of his DFA, although given his track record and history with the organization, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he accepted an outright assignment or quickly re-signed on a new minor league deal after clearing waivers and electing free agency. He’s already spent the past year-plus living and pitching in the Seattle/Tacoma area, after all, and he could be called upon in similar situations if the Mariners decide they need a fresh arm in the ’pen once again.

Taylor, 23, was a quick-to-the-majors reliever who impressed during his 2024 MLB debut. A 12th-round pick by the M’s in 2022, Taylor logged 19 1/3 innings last year and turned in a 3.72 ERA with a huge 30.9% strikeout rate against a solid 8.6% walk rate. That performance came on the heels of 42 2/3 minor league innings during which the UC-Irvine product recorded a stellar 1.27 ERA with a 27.6% strikeout rate and identical 8.6% walk rate.

Taylor missed the first two-plus weeks of the season with a minor lat strain. He made five rehab appearances and was torched for six runs on nine hits (one homer) and a walk in 3 1/3 innings. Most of that damage came in one outing where he was tagged for three runs without recording an out, however. Clearly, the Mariners are encouraged by the current state of his stuff and his previously ailing lat, as they could’ve simply optioned Taylor to Triple-A rather than reinstate him to the big league roster.

Hahn, 35, pitched in the majors for the first time since 2021 earlier this year when he tossed four frames for the Mariners. Injuries have continually plagued the right-hander, who’s been limited to 29 1/3 MLB frames (and 85 innings overall) since 2019. He’s continued grinding through rehab after rehab, however, and was rewarded with a brief big league return. Hahn could get another look with the M’s on a new minor league deal or latch on elsewhere as a minor league depth option now that he’s once again a free agent.

Mariners Put Ryan Bliss On IL Due To Biceps Tear, Designate Jesse Hahn

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The Mariners designated right-hander Jesse Hahn for assignment today amid a series of roster moves, per a club announcement. Right-hander Casey Lawrence was selected from Triple-A Tacoma in his place. And, in a concerning bit of injury news, Seattle placed infielder Ryan Bliss on the 10-day injured list due to a torn left biceps. He suffered the tear during a swing in last night’s game. A timeline for his recovery hasn’t been provided, but given the nature of the injury, it seems all but guaranteed that Bliss will be facing a notable absence. Infielder Leo Rivas is up from Tacoma in his place.

Bliss wasn’t off to a roaring-hot start this season, as he’s currently sporting a line of .200/.282/.314. Regardless, the injury further depletes the Seattle infield, which has been an issue for quite a while. All throughout the offseason, they were looking to make notable upgrades to their group on the dirt. Their moves ended up being pretty modest, with Jorge Polanco re-signed and moved from second to third base. Donovan Solano was also signed to be a part-time contributor.

Going into the season, Bliss and Dylan Moore were the top candidates to play second base. Lately, Polanco has been in and out of the lineup due to some soreness in his side, taking the designated hitter spot whenever he’s been healthy enough to play. That has left Moore at third and Bliss at second. Luke Raley has been playing right field to cover for the injured Víctor Robles, opening first base for Rowdy Tellez and the DH spot for Polanco.

It’s less than ideal for a club that has been searching for more offense for a while. The lack of thump in the lineup seemed to be their undoing last year and they weren’t able to make a significant upgrade in the winter. The team has a combined .199/.301/.329 line and 92 wRC+ at the moment and a 4-8 record which has them in the basement of the American League West.

Bliss wasn’t the most essential part of their foundation but it’s another brick removed. Rivas has a .233/.333/.274 line in his big league career but hit .296/.441/.424 in Triple-A last year and is out to a hot start this year, slashing .304/.429/.609 through seven games. He will jump into the infield group though the M’s also have Solano, Moore, Tellez, Polanco and Miles Mastrobuoni in the mix for playing time alongside shortstop J.P. Crawford.

The pitching moves are a reflection of the fact that their recent schedule has been a grind. They lost an 11-inning game on Friday, the first of the six-game stretch, using nine pitchers in that contest. They had fairly regular bullpen usage in the following three games but then had another rough one last night, using seven pitchers in a 12-inning marathon.

With the group fairly taxed overall, they’ve decided to bring in a fresh arm. Lawrence is a 37-year-old who has been called on for such duties before, having worked long relief gigs with the Blue Jays, Cardinals and Mariners in the past. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, he’s been pitching in the Triple-A Tacoma rotation to start this year. His last outing lasted 4 2/3 innings on April 4, so he should be able to mop up a few frames today, if needed. After that, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him bumped off the roster. He is out of options and the Mariners have a much-needed off-day tomorrow.

Hahn, 35, just made it back to the majors a few days ago after a long absence. The M’s selected his contract on April 5, his first time in the bigs since 2021. He has pitched four innings for the M’s since then, including the final two innings of last night’s extra-inning contest. He hasn’t been charged with an earned run yet this year but got a tough L last night when the Manfred Man came around to score in the 12th.

He’s now off the 40-man and will be in DFA limbo for a bit, a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Mariners theoretically have five days to explore trade interest. He has a 4.17 ERA in 315 1/3 bg league innings. He missed 2022 and 2023 due to a shoulder injury then pitched in Triple-A last year with a 4.29 ERA over 50 1/3 innings.

Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images

Mariners Re-Sign Casey Lawrence To Minor League Deal

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The Mariners and right-hander Casey Lawrence have reunited on a minor league deal, per his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The Big League Management Company client will presumably receive an invite to major league spring training in a few months.

Lawrence, 37, signed a minor league deal with the M’s going into last year as well. He provided the club with some non-roster depth, making 29 starts and logging 165 Triple-A innings with a 5.95 earned run average in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His 14.9% strikeout rate was subpar but his 6.6% walk rate was strong and he got grounders at a solid 44.1% clip.

That’s wasn’t enough to get Lawrence called to the major leagues, so he reached minor league free agency recently, but he’ll now return to the M’s and give them an experienced depth arm. Lawrence has pitched in parts of four different major league seasons, suiting up for the Blue Jays, Mariners and Cardinals. In that time, he has a 6.75 ERA in 124 innings.

The Mariners have a strong rotation if everyone is healthy, though that’s not something a club can count on. Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller each made at least 30 starts in 2024 with no one in that group having an ERA higher than 3.64. Bryan Woo had some injuries but still managed to give the club 22 starts with a 2.89 ERA.

The M’s also have Emerson Hancock on hand, though his upper-level results haven’t inspired much confidence. He has just a 16.7% strikeout rate at the Triple-A level and just a 14.3% clip against major league hitters. Jhonathan Díaz and Blas Castano are also on the 40-man roster but Díaz has just 45 major league innings under his belt while Castano has none.

In short, while the M’s do have a strong rotation, the options beyond the top five aren’t as impressive. While many fans of rival clubs have speculated about plucking a starter from Seattle, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto recently referred to that as the club’s “Plan Z“, perhaps a reflection of the thin depth. Less injury luck in 2025 could make that an issue as the season goes along, but Lawrence will give them another arm to potentially call upon.

Mariners Sign Casey Lawrence, Sean Poppen To Minor League Deals

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The Mariners announced their non-roster invitees to Spring Training this evening. A trio of players with MLB experience have joined the organization on deals not previously covered at MLBTR: right-handers Casey Lawrence and Sean Poppen and catcher/first baseman Michael Papierski.

Lawrence is a familiar face for Seattle fans. The righty has logged multiple stints in the organization as a swingman. He made 34 appearances as a Mariner between 2017-18, accounting for a little over half his big league experience. The 36-year-old has also pitched for the Blue Jays and Cardinals, logging 15 appearances in St. Louis a year ago.

In 27 1/3 innings of mostly low-leverage relief for the Cards, Lawrence posted a 6.59 ERA. He struck out a below-average 16.4% of opponents while averaging 90 MPH on his fastball. Lawrence had better results working as rotation depth in Triple-A. He started 21 games at the top minor league level, allowing 4.76 earned runs per nine through 104 innings. Lawrence fanned just under 20% of opponents while limiting his walks to a 6.8% clip.

Poppen, 30 in March, is a pure reliever. He compiled a 5.08 ERA in 63 appearances divided with four teams between 2019-22. The Harvard product spent last year at Triple-A with the Padres. He struggled with the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League setting, allowing a 6.33 ERA through 58 1/3 frames. Poppen had a subpar 17.6% strikeout percentage against a slightly elevated 10.3% walk rate. He has shown better swing-and-miss potential at the MLB level, where he owns a serviceable 22.3% strikeout rate for his career.

Papierski is a right-handed hitting backstop who had a brief MLB look with the Giants and Reds two seasons ago. He played the ’23 campaign in Triple-A as a member of the Tigers. Papierski had a solid offensive performance, hitting .266/.370/.422 with eight homers in 77 contests. He walked at a strong 13.8% clip across 305 plate appearances.

Seattle also said that right-hander Darren McCaughan is in camp as a non-roster player. According to his transactions log at MLB.com, he went unclaimed on outright waivers. The M’s announced that he was designated for assignment this afternoon as the corresponding move for their waiver claim of outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba. They’d apparently placed McCaughan on waivers before officially revealing his DFA. While the 6’1″ hurler had the right to elect free agency, it seems he decided to stick in the organization with the understanding he’d get a look in MLB camp.

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