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Seattle Mariners Make More Roster Moves, Send Veteran Right-Hander to Minor League Camp
Seattle Mariners pitcher Casey Lawrence against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale in 2024. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With just two-plus weeks until Opening Day, the Seattle Mariners made more roster moves on Wednesday, sending a group of players to minor league spring training, including veteran pitcher Casey Lawrence.

The Mariners announced the moves on social media:

Spring Training Roster Moves:

Re-assigned to minor league camp:

Colt Emerson, INF
Austin Kitchen, LHP
Sauryn Lao, RHP
Casey Lawrence, RHP
Lazaro Montes, OF

The @Mariners Spring Training roster is now at 51 players (37 on 40-man + 1 60-day IL + 13 NRI)

Emerson and Montes, a pair of top prospects, are the most notable names but Lawrence is an important figure in the organization as well.

The 37-year-old right-hander is a veteran of four major league seasons. He first debuted in 2017 with the Toronto Blue Jays and then proceeded to make 23 appearances for the Mariners that year. With Seattle, he went 2-0 with a 5.57 ERA. He stayed on with the Mariners in 2018, making 11 appearances and going 1-0 with a 7.33 ERA. He resurfaced in the big leagues with the Blue Jays in 2022 and also made 15 appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023.

Lawrence spent the 2024 season in the minors with the Tacoma Rainiers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Mariners. He went 11-11 with a 5.95 ERA, making 29 starts out of 29 appearances. 

While the Mariners have a great starting rotation of Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller, the depth behind them is thin. Emerson Hancock, Jhonathan Diaz, Lawrence and Logan Evans would seem to be next in line if there's an injury, which Kirby is already dealing with.

The Mariners open up the regular season at home against the Athletics on March 27.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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