Procedurally, this is just a familiar roster cleanup move as spring training approaches. But a closer look reveals a strange feeling—a kind of silence that makes one pause and think.
Last week, Díaz was designated for assignment after the Mariners acquired Cooper Criswell, who is expected to fill the longman role in the 2026 bullpen. It was a clear signal that Seattle needed space on its 40-man roster. And then, midweek, the team announced Díaz had been outright moved to Triple-A Tacoma.
No drama. No lengthy announcements. But there’s one crucial detail: Díaz cleared his waivers.
That means no other team stepped in. And that, in the current MLB landscape, rarely makes absolutely no sense.
In theory, the Mariners just lost Díaz from their 40-man roster. But in reality, they kept him in the system—as a quiet backup, the kind Seattle learned to appreciate after what happened in the 2025 season. The lesson was clear then: you can’t assume the main rotation will carry all 162 games.
At the start of the offseason, the lack of depth behind Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller was a small but real concern. Now, the picture is different. Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans are still available. Criswell, Dane Dunning, and Randy Dobnak can all fill in the rotation when needed.
And then there’s Jonathan Díaz.
In the last two seasons, the 29-year-old left-fielder has made over 20 starts each year for Tacoma. In 2025 alone, he had 26 appearances, throwing 138.2 innings and achieving a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 5:1—a quiet number, but enough to reassure coaches when they needed an innings pick.
In MLB, Díaz never really made his mark. He appeared in five consecutive seasons, but never played more than five games a year. Most of the time, he was used at the bullpen rather than as a starter. Calling him an “asset” is perhaps an exaggeration. But in a pitching system, versatility is rarely considered superfluous.
The interesting thing is Díaz’s choice.
By regulation, he had the right to refuse outright assignment and choose a free agency. But Díaz didn’t. Instead, he accepted a Triple-A position, remaining with an organization he was already very familiar with. On paper, the difference between staying with the Mariners or signing a minor league deal with another team wasn’t significant. But in reality, familiarity is sometimes the biggest advantage for a pitcher on the edge of the roster.
There’s another factor that hasn’t been widely discussed: the World Baseball Classic. Absences from spring training due to international duty can create opportunities for pitchers deep in the depth chart. And in those brief gaps, a name like Díaz can suddenly become essential.
The Mariners didn’t declare they needed Jonathan Díaz. Nor did they say he was part of their 2026 plans. But they kept him—quietly, intentionally, and without haste.
And in a team that’s increasingly calculating every roster spot, sometimes it’s the unspoken decisions that are most noteworthy.
Is Jonathan Díaz simply a backup option… or is Seattle not ready to let go until they really have to?
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