Mariners Retain Pitcher Jhonathan Díaz Through Waivers

Díaz clears waivers and accepts minor league assignment with Seattle

Apr. 10, 2026 at 7:50am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes, conceptually representing the Mariners' strategy of maintaining pitching depth.The Mariners' decision to retain pitcher Jhonathan Díaz reflects their focus on building a deep, versatile pitching staff for the 2026 season.Tacoma Today

The Seattle Mariners have retained left-handed pitcher Jhonathan Díaz after he cleared waivers and accepted a minor league assignment to Triple-A Tacoma. The move allows the Mariners to keep Díaz as valuable pitching depth, despite him being off the 40-man roster, as the team looks to bolster its starting rotation options following an injury-plagued 2025 season.

Why it matters

Retaining Díaz provides the Mariners with additional pitching insurance and flexibility, especially with the possibility of World Baseball Classic assignments opening up more opportunities this spring. While some fans and analysts question the long-term benefits, the Mariners view Díaz as a valuable depth piece to support their starting five of Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller.

The details

Díaz, who was designated for assignment last week, has now been outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma. Despite being off the 40-man roster, he remains an integral part of the Mariners' organization, serving as a valuable depth piece for their starting rotation. The move allows the Mariners to retain extra insurance for their pitching staff, a lesson learned from the injury-plagued 2025 season.

  • Díaz was designated for assignment last week.
  • Díaz has now been outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.

The players

Jhonathan Díaz

A left-handed pitcher who has made over 20 starts for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, Tacoma, in the last two seasons. His 2025 season was particularly impressive, with 26 starts and a solid strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.8:1 over 138.2 innings.

Bryan Woo

One of the Mariners' starting pitchers, along with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller.

Logan Gilbert

One of the Mariners' starting pitchers, along with Bryan Woo, George Kirby, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller.

George Kirby

One of the Mariners' starting pitchers, along with Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, and Bryce Miller.

Luis Castillo

One of the Mariners' starting pitchers, along with Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryce Miller.

Bryce Miller

One of the Mariners' starting pitchers, along with Bryan Woo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Luis Castillo.

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What’s next

With the possibility of World Baseball Classic assignments opening up more pitching opportunities this spring, Díaz and other down-roster options could see increased playing time.

The takeaway

The Mariners' decision to retain Jhonathan Díaz through waivers highlights their focus on building pitching depth, a lesson learned from the injury-plagued 2025 season. While some fans and analysts question the long-term benefits, the team views Díaz as a valuable insurance policy to support their starting rotation.