The Mariners Thursday called up lefty reliever Zac Curtis from AA Arkansas, the 22nd pitcher to see action this season, and optioned RHP Dan Altavilla to the AAA Tacoma Rainiers. Curtis will be available Thursday night when the Mariners begin a four-game series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.
Curtis, 24, went 0-1 with three saves and a 3.21 ERA in 10 relief appearances with Arkansas this season. The Mariners acquired the 5-9, 192-pound Curtis from Arizona along with SS Jean Segura and OF Mitch Haniger Nov. 23 in exchange for RHP Taijuan Walker and INF Ketel Marte.
Curtis made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks last season, going 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 21 games. The native of Panama City Beach, FL, was selected by the Diamondbacks in the sixth round of the 2014 draft out of Middle Tennessee State University.
In parts of four minor league seasons with Arizona (2014-16) and Seattle (2017), he has a career record of 7-7 with 56 saves and a 2.09 ERA.
Altavilla, 24, appeared in three games with the Mariners after being recalled from Tacoma May 6. He went 1-1 with a 6.97 ERA in 12 games with the Mariners. Altavilla was part of Seattle’s Opening Day roster.
In an unrelated move, the Mariners Thursday claimed RHP pitcher Casey Lawrence off waivers from Toronto. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Mariners transferred RHP Evan Scribner to the 60-day DL.
Lawrence, 29, who has been optioned to Tacoma, was designated for assignment May 8 after posting an 0-3 record with an 8.78 ERA in four games, two starts, with the Jays.
The Mariners (17-17) seek their fifth consecutive victory starting at 4 p.m. PT, deploying RHP Chase De Jong (0-2, 6.75) to start opposite RHP Marco Estrada (1-2, 3.14).