PHOENIX — The Mariners have ended their trial run with Leody Taveras as a regular outfielder, designating him for assignment on Monday after a disappointing month since claiming him off waivers from the Rangers.
Taveras made his Mariners debut on May 7 in Oakland, notching a game-tying RBI single and scoring the eventual game-winner in a 6-5 victory. However, his performance declined quickly afterward.
In 28 games with Seattle, Taveras hit just .174 with a .470 OPS—worse than his stats in his final stretch with Texas. He totaled two home runs, three doubles, and nine RBIs, while striking out 27 times and walking only three in 98 plate appearances.
To replace him, the Mariners recalled Dominic Canzone from Triple-A Tacoma. This will be Canzone’s second stint in the majors this season, though his first lasted just two games and three at-bats.
While the Mariners may have tolerated Taveras’ struggles at the plate longer, his defense also suffered. According to FanGraphs, his fielding metrics were the worst of his career. A critical moment came Saturday night in Anaheim, when Taveras replaced an injured Julio RodrÃguez in center field. He misplayed the first ball hit to him, turning a potential out into an error. Later in the inning, he overreached on a play in right-center, calling off Miles Mastrobuoni but failing to make a catch at the wall.
Taveras posted a -1.0 fWAR and a 32 wRC+ with Seattle, far below the league average of 100. The Mariners’ decision to claim him was already a financial risk—they assumed the remaining $3.5 million of his $4.75 million contract despite operating under a tight budget.
Canzone had been performing well in Tacoma, batting .296 with 13 home runs, 36 RBIs, and a .924 OPS in 45 games. He ranked sixth in the Pacific Coast League in homers and ninth in OPS.
His return to the majors is fitting, as he’ll now play in Arizona—the team that traded him to Seattle at the 2023 trade deadline in a deal that sent closer Paul Sewald to the Diamondbacks. Canzone’s last games at Chase Field were ironically against the Mariners, just days before the trade.
