There were a pair of notable Seattle Mariners roster moves on Saturday.
First, the Mariners announced in the morning that first baseman Tyler Locklear had been optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. Later in the day, the news was that veteran relief pitcher Seth Martinez had been claimed by the Miami Marlins.
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Martinez, 30, spent just under two weeks in Mariners camp after joining on a waiver claim. Coincidentally, it was the Marlins who the Mariners had claimed Martinez from earlier this month. Martinez has now been claimed four times on waivers this offseason, as the Arizona Diamondbacks first claimed him in November, followed by the Marlins in February.
The right-hander pitched for the Houston Astros in each of the past four seasons. The Arizona State product made 44 appearances in 2024 with a 3-2 record, 3.59 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. He had 36 strikeouts to 18 walks over 52 2/3 innings.
Martinez made just one Cactus League appearance for the Mariners this spring, allowing four runs including a home run in 2/3 innings against Kansas City last Wednesday.
Locklear, 24, made his big league debut last season with the Mariners. A second-round MLB Draft pick out of Virginia Commonwealth in 2022, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound corner infielder hit .156 (7 for 45) with two home runs, a double, a stolen base, three walks and 20 strikeouts over 16 games with Seattle. At Triple-A in 2024, Locklear had a .272/.382/.468 slash line for an .850 OPS with 16 homers, 27 doubles, four triples and nine steals in 111 games.
In Cactus League play this spring, Locklear is hitting .222 (4 for 18) with two doubles, a walk, a steal, three runs, three RBIs, and six strikeouts in 11 games.
Locklear is the Mariners’ No. 11 prospect as ranked by MLB Pipeline.
While Locklear is out of the mix for an opening day roster spot, the Mariners have a couple other infielders trying to join Luke Raley and Donovan Solano as options at first base: veteran slugger Rowdy Tellez, who is a non-roster invitee, and Austin Shenton, a Bellingham native on the 40-man roster who can play first, second, third and the corner outfield spots.
More on the Seattle Mariners
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• The Mariners and Padres now will play for a real Eddie Vedder Cup
• Seattle Mariners Notebook: Latest on George Kirby’s status
• “Big Unit” Randy Johnson makes rare Seattle Mariners spring visit
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