The Mariners are still searching for traction after another frustrating night in Toronto, one that ended with a loss in a game they had every chance to grab and left them with a series defeat. Next up is a matchup with Logan Gilbert facing Max Scherzer at 10:37 PST, and Seattle will be looking for anything it can carry into Boston.
Elsewhere in the baseball world, the injury news keeps piling up. Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson is set to have surgery in a couple weeks to fix the shoulder issue that has bothered him all season.
Wilson has appeared in just eighty games and hasn’t been able to match the All-Star rookie campaign he put together when healthy. At this point, it’s still not clear whether the surgery will cost him any part of the 2027 season.
The Padres also got a scare when infielder Luis Rengifo was carted off after planting awkwardly on a throw home and suffering a sprained knee. He’s headed back to San Diego for a full evaluation as soon as possible.
In New York, the Mets placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on waivers yesterday. Robert is owed slightly under $5 million for the rest of the season.
The Cubs had a bit of a procedural mess with Hoby Milner. On Friday, Mark Feinsand reported that Chicago had DFA’d the left-hander, but that was corrected about three hours later when it became clear the Cubs had actually put him on waivers. Then, roughly 25 hours after that correction, the team announced it had DFA’d Milner after all.
There was also a roster move involving a familiar face for Seattle fans: former Mariners pitcher Justin Topa was DFA’d by the Yankees after the first game of their doubleheader yesterday, a move made to clear room for the return of Max Fried.
And former Mariner Cade Marlowe is back with the Angels, signing a minor league contract yesterday after being released by the club on Friday following Marlowe exercising his opt-out.
In Other News...
Mariners Could Be Nearing The End With Several Familiar Faces
The offseason conversation around the Mariners is starting to sound less like fine-tuning and more like a possible reset of some familiar parts of the roster. Randy Arozarena, J.P. Crawford and Victor Robles are all in the mix as players who could be playing elsewhere soon, whether that comes through free agency or another route that trims payroll and changes the look of the club. For a team that has leaned on continuity in recent years, the idea of seeing multiple recognizable names move on carries some real weight.
Luke Raley also sits in a tricky spot as Seattle sorts through its arbitration-eligible group, and his case is the kind of decision that can shape the margins of an offseason. Recent performance and injury concerns have pushed him into the non-tender discussion, which is a reminder that the Mariners could be juggling more than just who to keep, but how much risk to carry into the next year. And with the possibility of a lockout hanging over the 2027 season, the urgency around these decisions only feels greater. [Read more 🡒]
Jarred Kelenic's Latest Move Is A Tough Reminder For Mariners Fans
Jarred Kelenic is on the move again, this time landing a minor league deal with the New York Yankees and a trip to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It is the kind of transaction that barely registers in the moment for one club and feels a little heavier for another, especially for Mariners fans who remember how much buzz once followed his arrival and how often his career path has taken unexpected turns since then.
Kelenic was designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers in August and later elected free agency, adding another stop to a journey that has already included six big league organizations. He has spent this season bouncing between Triple-A and the majors, and while the next chapter is still being written, his latest move serves as a sharp reminder of how quickly a once-promising Mariners storyline has become something far more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Brendan Donovan Trade Is Starting To Look Worse For The Mariners
Brendan Donovans first season in Seattle has been a mixed one, which is exactly why the trade that brought him over from St. Louis is starting to invite a little more scrutiny. The Mariners added Donovan last offseason as part of a swap that sent him from a Cardinals club focused on development and rebuilding, and he has given Seattle a useful but uneven run across 39 games while dealing with injuries along the way.
The bigger question for the Mariners is what this deal might look like over time, especially with the return package still being measured in prospects and draft capital rather than proven major league help. St. Louis landed Jurrangelo Cijntje, Tai Peete and Colton Ledbetter, plus two Competitive Balance Round B picks that became Andrew Williamson and Dawson Montesa, so Seattle is left waiting to see whether Donovan can become more than a short-term piece and help justify the cost. [Read more 🡒]