The Major League Baseball offseason can be a stressful time for players on the bubble of their teams’ 40-man rosters.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Jhonathan Díaz, a five-year major league veteran who has never thrown 20 or more innings in a single season, was squarely on that roster bubble to begin the offseason. He was in Triple-A for all but one of his appearances last year, and because he was out of minor-league options, there was a solid chance he would lose his spot on the 40-man if acquisitions were made during the offseason.
The Mariners designated Díaz for assignment on Jan. 23 when they acquired righty Cooper Criswell in a trade with the New York Mets. That didn’t mean they wanted to lose him entirely, but they had to accept that it was a strong possibility.
After clearing waivers, Díaz elected free agency on Thursday, according to the official transactions log on his roster page. With barely a week to go before spring training begins, he’ll be scrambling to look for a minor-league contract.
Díaz spent just under two years in the Seattle organization after signing a minor-league deal in February 2024. He made just six major league appearances as a Mariner, bringing his career total to 17, and allowed five earned runs across 11 innings.
Technically, the Mariners would be at liberty to re-sign Díaz just days after his official departure. However, Díaz not accepting his outright assignment to Triple-A could be optimism on his part that he’ll be able to find an organization that will offer him a better chance at major league playing time.
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