Seattle Mariners Acquire Veteran Right-Handed Pitcher

March 03, 2025

The Seattle Mariners have claimed right-handed reliever Seth Martinez off waivers from the Miami Marlins, the team announced Sunday. 

To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Jackson Kowar was placed on the 60-day injured list as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery. This marks the third time in four months that Martinez has changed teams via waivers, moving from the Houston Astros to the Arizona Diamondbacks in November, then to Miami in February before landing in Seattle. 

Over four MLB seasons, all with Houston, Martinez has a 3.93 ERA in 111 relief appearances, logging 122 strikeouts and 54 walks across 137.1 innings. He often worked as a multi-inning reliever, a role he could reprise with the Mariners if he secures a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Martinez, 30, was originally a 17th-round pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2016 before Houston selected him in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft. 

He made his MLB debut in September 2021 and established himself as a dependable bullpen option, though his performance dipped in 2024. His strikeout rate fell from 23.1% in 2023 to 16.2%, prompting the Astros to designate him for assignment. 

Despite that decline, teams continue to show interest. "An innings-eating reliever always carries some usefulness," MLB Trade Rumors noted, pointing to Martinez’s potential value for Seattle. He will compete for a spot in Spring Training, but with no minor league options, he must either make the team or be placed on waivers again.

Meanwhile, Kowar, 28, is expected to miss at least the first two months of the season as he recovers from elbow surgery. 

The Mariners acquired him from Atlanta in December 2023 as part of the Jarred Kelenic trade, but he has yet to pitch for Seattle. 

Over three seasons, mostly with the Kansas City Royals, he has struggled to a 9.12 ERA in 39 games, though he showed signs of improvement in 2023 with a 2-0 record and 29 strikeouts in 28 innings. 

Kowar has resumed throwing in Spring Training, but the Mariners opted for a cautious approach by placing him on the IL. With the 40-man roster still full, Martinez will need a strong camp to secure his spot before Opening Day.

Photo Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

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