The Seattle Mariners bolstered their bullpen depth just a day after it was heavily relied upon to cover almost an entire game.
On Tuesday, the team announced that they had selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Díaz from Triple-A Tacoma. In a corresponding move, right-handed starter Emerson Hancock was optioned to the Rainiers. With Díaz’s addition, Seattle’s 40-man roster is now full.
Díaz, 28, appeared in five games for the Mariners last season, including one start. He recorded an 0-1 record with a 4.66 ERA, a 1.759 WHIP, and eight strikeouts across 9 2/3 innings. After re-signing with the team on a minor league deal in February, he struggled in spring training, surrendering eight runs on 14 hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings.
Last year, Díaz was one of only seven pitchers to start a game for Seattle.
Hancock, meanwhile, is being sent down to Tacoma following a difficult start to his 2025 season on Monday night. The 25-year-old allowed six runs on seven hits and a walk in just two-thirds of an inning during a 9-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers—his shortest outing in 16 career MLB starts.
Hancock entered the season as Seattle’s No. 5 starter due to another rotation injury, just as he did last year. He made seven early-season starts in 2024 while Bryan Woo was on the injured list. This time, he was filling in for right-hander George Kirby, who has been sidelined with shoulder inflammation since early March.
Kirby remains hopeful for a late April return, though the team has not provided a definitive timeline. When the injury was first announced, general manager Justin Hollander described it as a “week-to-week” situation.
The Mariners continue their three-game series against the Tigers at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, with opening day starter Logan Gilbert taking the mound. Radio coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app.
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