Mariners elevate Dominic Canzone, axe Leody Taveras from roster
Leody Taveras Out, Dom Canzone In: Here's the skinny on the Seattle Mariners' recent roster move! After a rocky month in the lineup, switch-hitting outfielder Leody Taveras has been designated for assignment. His underwhelming performance, including a meager .174 batting average and .470 OPS in just 28 games, led to the decision.
Taveras's debut with the M's was promising, securing a game-tying RBI single and scoring the winning run in a thrilling 6-5 victory against the Athletics. However, things went downhill from there. Taveras's time with the Mariners was significantly worse than his stint with the Rangers, leading to his release. In Seattle, he hit two home runs, doubled three times, and scored nine RBIs. However, he also struck out 27 times and only walked three times.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson acknowledged the inconsistency in Taveras's offensive play and expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to bring up Dominic Canzone, who was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma in Taveras's place. Canzone's rehabilitated swing and improved power should add some much-needed offense to the Mariners' lineup.
Defensively, Taveras's metrics were the worst of his career, with a career-low 1.0 fWAR in 28 games with the M's and a 32 wRC+ (100 being league average), according to FanGraphs. His questionable play on defense, particularly in a midgame replacement for Julio Rodriguez, seemed to be the final straw.
With the departure of Taveras, who was on a $4.75 million contract for this season, the Mariners have opened up some financial room. Canzone, who hit .296 with 13 home runs, 36 RBI, and a .924 OPS in 45 games with Tacoma, is eager to make the most of this opportunity. For Canzone, it's a full-circle moment as he returns to play in Arizona where he was traded to the Mariners in 2023.
Apart from these changes, young pitcher Logan Evans, who was brought up from Tacoma on a precautionary basis, has been added to the Mariners' taxi squad. As of now, his presence is preventative, but it's worth noting that Bryce Miller, who is scheduled to start Wednesday's series finale, wasn't part of the starting pitchers' pre-batting practice catch group. Keep a weather eye on the Mariners as we approach the trade deadline - the roster shuffle may not be over!
- The Seattle Mariners, after designing Leody Taveras for assignment, are excited to welcome back Dom Canzone from Triple-A Tacoma, hoping his rejuvenated swing and improved power will boost their struggling sports team.
- While the Mariners wrestle with strategic decisions, another sports team in Seattle, the Kraken, have their eyes set on their debut season, set to commence in the MLB's extended off-season.
- Fans in Seattle will have more than just baseball to look forward to this year, as both the Mariners and the Kraken promise an action-packed season ahead in their respective leagues.
