The veteran’s time with the Seattle Mariners may have seemed destined for the footnotes of team trivia, but that narrative has now taken a turn. On Monday, the veteran right-hander was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays — the very team with which he made his Major League debut back in 2017. The transaction brought things full circle, as he originally joined the Mariners that same year when they picked him up from Toronto in a similar waiver claim.
The veteran pitcher is now 37 years old and was in the middle of his third stint with the Mariners in a season that’s been riddled with roster shuffling, particularly in the pitching department. Injuries to key starters like Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, as well as late-inning bullpen arm Matt Brash, forced Seattle to dig deep into their depth, and he stepped up when called upon. Despite being designated for assignment three times in 2025 alone, he consistently returned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and stayed ready for whenever the Mariners needed innings.
In his most recent major league stretch, he appeared in four games for Seattle, delivering 10 innings of work while posting a 1-1 record, a 3.60 ERA, and a 1.50 WHIP. He had two scoreless outings — notably, both against his now-current team, the Blue Jays — and provided much-needed stability during a challenging stretch for the pitching staff. His final appearance came on Friday in a long-relief role after Gilbert exited early with a concerning flexor strain. Casey Lawrence threw five innings and allowed eight runs, though only two were earned due to defensive miscues. The following day, Seattle made the difficult decision to DFA him again as they recalled relievers Troy Taylor and Tayler Saucedo from Tacoma.
This wasn’t the first time this season Lawrence found himself in roster limbo. He was designated for assignment on April 14 and April 20 but returned to Triple-A each time after clearing waivers. However, Monday’s claim by Toronto ends that cycle — at least for now — and gives Lawrence another opportunity with a franchise that helped launch his professional career.
Across parts of five major league seasons, Lawrence has accumulated 63 appearances (including 11 starts), compiling a 5–5 record with a 6.51 ERA, a 1.67 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts across 134 innings. While the surface stats may not jump off the page, his reliability as a long-relief option and ability to eat innings have made him a valuable depth piece for teams navigating injuries.
As for the Mariners, they’ve now won six consecutive series and will look to keep that momentum going as they return to T-Mobile Park to begin a brief two-game set against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday evening. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. PT, with pregame coverage starting at 5:30 p.m. on 710 AM Seattle Sports and the Seattle Sports app. Right-hander Bryce Miller, who is 1–3 with a 4.21 ERA on the season, will take the mound for Seattle. He’ll be opposed by Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz, who carries a 1–3 record and 5.47 ERA into the matchup.
With the rotation still in flux and the bullpen being leaned on heavily, the Mariners will continue to rely on both emerging talent and experienced arms to stay competitive in the tightly contested American League West.
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