The Mariners made a set of roster moves before Monday’s series opener against the White Sox, headlined by reinstating Patrick Wisdom from the injured list and calling up Robinson Ortiz from Triple-A Tacoma. The club also continued to adjust its pitching plan around Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo, with Miller set to start Tuesday and Castillo expected to follow out of the bullpen.
Seattle’s latest decisions reflect a roster built to handle a short stretch of uncertainty, especially with the rotation still settling into form. The Mariners are also managing their bullpen carefully, which makes each move on the 40-man roster more important as they balance short-term innings and lineup depth.
Wisdom gives Seattle more right-handed depth
Wisdom returns to provide Dan Wilson with another right-handed option off the bench and another candidate to cover third base behind Colt Emerson. The Mariners recently recalled Emerson, the club’s top prospect, and plan to give him regular playing time, though tougher left-handed starters could lead to occasional rest days.
That creates a natural opening for Wisdom, who brings experience and lineup flexibility. His return also gives Seattle more insurance as it tries to keep its infield mix flexible while Emerson adjusts to major league pitching.
Ortiz gets his first MLB call-up
Ortiz was brought up to strengthen the pitching staff after Seby Gonzalez was sent down, a move tied in part to Gonzalez having pitched on each of the past two days. Seattle acquired Ortiz from the Dodgers for relief prospect Tyler Gough last November, and he has yet to make his major league debut.
The right-hander has worked 15 games for Tacoma and posted a 1.69 ERA, along with 12 walks and 18 strikeouts. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the Mariners’ No. 24 prospect, and his promotion gives the team another fresh arm as it navigates the workload on the pitching staff.
Miller and Castillo are the focus on the mound
The bigger-picture question for Seattle is how it will handle Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo in the immediate future. Miller, who was just activated from the 15-day injured list, looked sharp in his season debut in Houston last Wednesday, aside from a disrupted sixth inning that included an umpire injury delay.
Castillo followed with his most encouraging start of the season in Houston last Thursday, bouncing back after a seven-start stretch in which he posted a 7.79 ERA and the Mariners went 1-6. Wilson said the club could also use a reliever in between the two starters if needed, calling it something the team will evaluate during the game.
Seattle is still figuring out the new pitching plan
Wilson said the club is still working through the best way to use the piggyback arrangement, noting that the idea is new to everyone involved. The Mariners have six healthy starters, and they have already chosen to give each member of that group a scheduled turn in Miller’s return cycle.
That approach may not stay fixed. Seattle is not committed to making the Miller-Castillo pairing permanent, and Wilson said the team will learn as it goes while weighing how to preserve both starters and the bullpen.
Castillo has little relief experience over his 10-year career, with one appearance in relief coming during last year’s 15-inning AL Division Series marathon against the Tigers. Miller has more bullpen history, but not since reaching the majors in 2023, and his recent injuries have limited him to 19 starts since the beginning of the ‘25 season.
