Injury-ravaged Mariners pluck a disposable outfielder from AL West rival

In a surprise waiver claim, the Seattle Mariners have added outfielder Leody Taveras from the Texas Rangers, further bolstering an outfield that has been ravaged with injuries.

The move comes as the Rangers continue to spiral, beginning with some changes to their coaching staff. Former Mariners slugger Brett Boone was just brought in as Texas’ new hitting coach after the firing of multiple staffers, and Taveras was the first roster casualty of the transition.

Mariners claim Leody Taveras from Rangers to add to an injured outfield group

Once seen as a key piece of the Rangers’ future and one of the better defensive outfielders in the league, Taveras never quite found consistency at the plate, and his underwhelming offensive start to 2025 made him expendable amid growing frustration in Arlington. The Rangers called up Evan Carter to replace Taveras.

Seattle, on the other hand, sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. Despite being hit hard by injuries (losing Victor Robles and Luke Raley, and now dealing with Randy Arozarena’s hamstring issue) the Mariners have continued to win. A number of under-the-radar contributors have stepped up, and the offense has remained one of the league’s best, consistently producing runs in bunches. Adding Taveras may not help the offense much, but it shores up an increasingly thin outfield defensively.

Taveras is an elite glove in center field, and his speed gives the Mariners a dynamic defensive option they desperately need. If he can get on base even at a modest clip, he brings the added threat of stolen bases (37 stolen bases between 2023 and 2024 with six in the early going of 2025) and there’s still some untapped pop in his bat, as evidence of his 26 home runs between 2023 and 2024.

It’s a bit surprising that Seattle was willing to take on the remainder of Taveras' $4.75 million salary, but with team control through 2027, this could prove to be a low-risk, high-reward move. If he clicks, the Mariners just picked up a premium defender with speed and upside for nothing more than cash.

The Mariners' decision to turn to Kevin Seitzer and Edgar Martínez has completely transformed this offense from a power-reliant, heavy-strikeout team to a squad that relies on gritty at bats, walks and stolen bases.

This team is completely different, and Taveras may fit in perfectly. With their current offensive firepower, the Mariners don’t need him to be a star — they just need him to contribute defensively and add occasional value on the bases.