After 5 DFA’s, Mariners pitcher is in the majors again

He’s back.

The Seattle Mariners selected the contract of veteran pitcher Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday, marking the right-hander’s fifth stint with the big league club just two months into the season. Lawrence also pitched one game for the Toronto Blue Jays in late April.

Jon Morosi hopes MVP voters will see Cal Raleigh’s value

In corresponding moves, reliever Blas Castaño was optioned to Tacoma and catcher Blake Hunt was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

Lawrence, 37, has a 4.08 ERA over 17 2/3 innings in six MLB games this season. In five games with the Mariners, he’s 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.40 WHIP with six strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. Lawrence has allowed 12 runs in his five appearances with Seattle, but just five have been earned runs.

Lawrence has been DFA’d four times by the Mariners this season and five times in total.

Castaño, 26, made his big league debut in Wednesday night’s loss to the Washington Nationals. The right-hander pitched three innings, struck out one and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks.

Hunt, 26, was reacquired in a trade with the Orioles in January just eight months after the M’s dealt him to Baltimore. In 25 games with Tacoma, Hunt is hitting .231 with a .678 OPS, eight doubles, one triple, two home runs and five RBIs.

With Hunt being DFA’d, the Mariners have just two catchers on their 40-man roster (Cal Raleigh and Mitch Garver). However, top prospect Harry Ford is knocking on the door for a big league promotion. The 22 year old is batting .313 with a .432 on-base percentage, .897 OPS, seven doubles, five home runs and 25 RBIs in 38 Triple-A games.

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