Mariners Moves: One reliever back from IL, another DFA’d for 6th time

The Seattle Mariners activated right-handed reliever Trent Thornton from the injured list, nearly one month after he underwent surgery for appendicitis.

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And in a corresponding move, the Mariners once again designated 37-year-old reliever Casey Lawrence for assignment.

It marks the sixth time that Lawrence has been DFA’d this season – five times by Seattle and once by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Lawrence’s unique situation stems from his role as a long reliever and the fact that he’s out of minor league options, which means he can’t be sent directly to Triple-A. So instead, Lawrence has to be DFA’d and then clear waivers before he can be assigned to the minors.

Thornton, 31, has spent the past month on the injured list after undergoing an appendectomy procedure on May 8. He’s since made two rehab appearances with Triple-A Tacoma.

Thornton was an effective part of Seattle’s bullpen over the previous one and a half seasons after arriving in a July 2023 trade deadline deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. But he’s struggled this year, posting a 5.87 ERA in 16 relief appearances prior to landing on the IL. He allowed 10 runs and 16 hits in 15 1/3 innings over that span, while recording 11 strikeouts and four walks.

Lawrence, meanwhile, has a 4.08 ERA over 17 2/3 innings in his six MLB relief appearances this season. In five appearances with the Mariners, the right-hander has a 3.00 ERA with six strikeouts and one walk in 15 innings. He has allowed 12 runs with Seattle, but just five have been earned.

Lawrence’s last outing came with the Mariners on May 20. Prior to that, his most recent MLB appearance was with Toronto on April 29.

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