The Rangers can't stop trolling the Mariners by picking up Seattle cast-offs

At this point, the Texas Rangers might as well order some Seattle Mariners jerseys in bulk and Sharpie “South” across the front. The 2023 World Series champs have now signed their third ex-Mariner in the 2025 calendar year. Fourth if you’re willing to count Bret Boone sliding into the coaching staff.

The latest addition? Dylan Moore. The Swiss Army knife who played everywhere in Seattle except the Sound Transit light rail. Shortly after being placed on unconditional release waivers, the Rangers inked him to a minor league deal on August 26, continuing a running gag that’s starting to feel less like roster construction and more like a trolling campaign directed squarely at Mariners fans.

Rangers continue trend of adding ex-Mariners with Dylan Moore signing

After all, Texas has already picked up Sam Haggerty and Rowdy Tellez, both discarded by Seattle. And wouldn’t you know it, they’re thriving in Arlington. Haggerty is hitting a respectable .253/.328/.370 with 12 stolen bases across 64 games. Tellez, meanwhile, has rediscovered his power stroke, slashing .270/.338/.508 with four home runs and 13 RBIs.

Those are the kinds of numbers everyone knew these guys had in them… just not in a Mariners uniform. With Seattle’s depth chart blocking their path, they were expendable. In Texas, that apparently equals productive role players. 

Moore was as appreciated as any long-time Mariner could be, but his seven-plus year tenure had clearly run its course. For years, he wore the crown of “Mr. Do-It-All,” logging time at nearly every position on the diamond short of strapping on catcher’s gear. But in 2025, the magic faded. Once a reliable platoon bat against lefties, even that advantage dried up as his production flatlined. He wrapped up his Mariners season hitting just .193/.263/.359 with 9 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 12 steals. A career .205 hitter, Moore was never really known for offensive consistency, but for the versatility and timely pinch-hit moments that made him a fan favorite despite the streaky bat.

Now Moore gets his shot with Texas. He’s reporting to Triple-A Round Rock, where apparently they’ve got some kind of fountain of second chances bubbling under the ballpark. With Marcus Semien shelved for the season, Moore doesn’t exactly face a steep climb. The Rangers are patching second base with a mix of Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran, the latter producing numbers about as memorable as elevator music. One hot stretch in the minors and he could be standing next to Tellez and Haggerty in a Rangers lineup that looks suspiciously like a Mariners garage sale.

For Mariners fans, it’s equal parts amusing and maddening. You spend years watching these guys grind, groan when they ground out to second, shrug when the team moves on — then suddenly, they’re stealing bases and delivering for a rival.

So go ahead, Rangers. Keep raiding the Seattle clearance aisle. Mariners fans will laugh, roll their eyes, and maybe quietly wonder if “Mariners South” hats are going to hit the team shop by September.