The Seattle Mariners claimed outfielder Leody Taveras off waivers from the American League West rival Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
The Mariners also reinstated utility player Dylan Moore from the 10-day injured list, optioned utility player Samad Taylor to Triple-A Tacoma and designated right-hander Luis F. Castillo for assignment.
Taveras, 26, spent the first six years of his major league career with Texas and started all five games of the Rangers’ 2023 World Series win over Arizona in center field. But the Rangers placed Taveras on outright waivers after Sunday’s game against the Mariners. Taveras was batting .241 with one home run, eight RBIs and six stolen bases through 30 games. He is a career .240 hitter with 39 homers, 168 RBIs and 72 stolen bases since making his major league debut in 2020.
The Mariners will assume the estimated $3.25 million remaining on a one-year deal for a player they held without a hit in 11 at-bats this season. Moore has not played since April 25 due to right hip inflammation. Before his IL stint, Moore was batting .286 — which would represent a career high over the course of a full season — with six home runs and nine RBIs. He has already made starts at second base, shortstop, third base and right field through 23 outings in 2025.
Taylor, 26, appeared in four games for Seattle since April 30 and went 1-for-8 with a run. This is his second season in the Mariners’ organization after making his major league debut (31 games) with the Kansas City Royals in 2023. Castillo, 30, made two starts earlier this season and pitched to a 7.71 ERA, with seven walks to just five strikeouts. He previously had not played in the big leagues since 2022 with the Detroit Tigers.
Meanwhile, Evan Carter was recalled by the Rangers on Tuesday from Triple-A Round Rock, where the outfielder had been all this season after being hurt most of last year following his impressive debut late in the run to their only World Series title in 2023.
The move came before the Rangers opened a three-game series in Boston.
Carter started the season in the minors after hitting .158 in 14 spring training games. In 21 games for Round Rock, he hit .221 with three home runs, nine RBIs, 13 walks and six stolen bases. Each of his seven extra-base hits have come in the past 14 games, with Carter hitting .288 with a .577 slugging percentage in that stretch.
The outfielder made a dazzling debut late in 2023 after his call-up in September as an injury fill-in in 2023. He made his big league debut 10 days after his 21st birthday, then hit .306 with five homers and 12 RBIs in 23 games to finish the regular season. He reached base in all 17 of the Rangers’ postseason games, hitting .300 with an MLB postseason record nine doubles, and also 10 walks.
Carter was limited to 45 games because of back issues in what was supposed to be his first full big league season in 2024. He hit .188 with five homers and 15 RBIs.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
