Mariners Send Mastrobuoni Outright After Clearing Waivers

The Mariners have outrighted Miles Mastrobuoni to Triple-A Tacoma following his passage through waivers, with the infielder-outfielder choosing to accept the assignment rather than pursue free agency. Mastrobuoni's move off the 40-man roster signals Seattle's assessment that he no longer fits their near-term plans.

A career bench player. Across 208 major league games with the Rays and Cubs, Mastrobuoni has carved out a role as a utility and depth piece—the kind of player teams cycle through for occasional spot starts and defensive versatility. His light offensive production has limited his opportunities, keeping him perpetually on the fringes of rosters.

The significance of the waiver clear. When a player clears waivers and is outrighted to the minors, it means no other team wanted to claim him, even knowing they'd only owe him major league salary. That's a telling indicator of his market value. Mastrobuoni's decision to stay rather than test free agency suggests he values the certainty of remaining in Seattle's organization over uncertainty as a free agent.

What it means for the Mariners. Outrighting players typically frees roster spots for teams making roster moves, whether that's calling up prospects or making trades. For Seattle, it's a housekeeping move that suggests they're either preparing for activity elsewhere or simply trimming payroll and 40-man space from a player they deemed expendable.

Source: original report ↗