A familiar face is heading back to the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen just in time for the team’s final series before the MLB All-Star break.
The Mariners have recalled veteran lefty Tayler Saucedo from Triple-A Tacoma ahead of Friday’s 4:05 p.m. game against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. He fills the roster spot of right-hander Carlos Vargas, who has been placed on the paternity list. Vargas is expected to rejoin the club by the start of the second half next Friday, July 18, at home against the Astros—or possibly even sooner, before the Detroit series wraps.
Though Saucedo was born in Hawaii, the 32-year-old has strong local ties. He grew up in the Puget Sound area, attending Tahoma High School in Maple Valley and playing college ball at Tacoma Community College before being selected by the Blue Jays in the 21st round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of Tennessee Wesleyen University.
Saucedo has made the majority of his MLB appearances—109 of 142—with the Mariners, including four this year. While his 2025 ERA with Seattle currently sits at 9.82 over just 3 2/3 innings, he posted a 3.49 ERA in 53 outings last season and a 3.59 ERA across 52 games in 2023. He recently returned from a nearly two-month stint on the minor league IL due to a strained left lat, rejoining Tacoma on July 1.
As for Vargas, the 25-year-old has been a reliable contributor out of the bullpen this year, logging a 3.43 ERA in 42 games. He debuted with Arizona in 2023 and joined Seattle as part of the trade that sent Eugenio Suárez to the Diamondbacks, spending much of this season in Triple-A before his call-up.
The Mariners also announced their lineup for Friday’s series opener, with All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh taking the designated hitter role against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. Skubal, a Seattle University alum and reigning AL Cy Young winner, is a leading candidate to start the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
Radio coverage begins at 3 p.m. on Seattle Sports, while the game will be broadcast exclusively on Apple TV+ instead of the team’s usual ROOT Sports channel.
