Mariners make a late roster change, releasing Mitch Garver and Rob Refsnyder

The Seattle Mariners released catcher Mitch Garver and outfielder Rob Refsnyder on Tuesday, a roster reshuffle that comes with the team actively adjusting its major league depth. The move, reported by Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times and reiterated by MLB Trade Rumors, also included a plan to cover the spots created by the releases.

On the outfield side, Refsnyder’s departure is tied to an acquisition the Mariners made the day before. MLB Trade Rumors reported that Taylor Ward will replace Refsnyder on the roster after the team acquired him in a trade, suggesting Seattle is aligning its late-season roster around the incoming bat and glove at the position.

For the catcher spot, the Mariners’ corresponding response is a promotion from within the organization. MLB Trade Rumors reported that Jhonny Pereda will be recalled to replace Garver, keeping the club from entering its next games without a dedicated catcher option.

Garver’s release removes a veteran presence behind the plate from Seattle’s active group. For a team managing playing time across a long season, these releases are often about creating room for new arrivals, tightening day-to-day roster options, and ensuring the remaining players match current usage patterns.

Refsnyder’s release on the outfield side indicates a similar priorities shift. When a team is willing to move on from a player already on the roster, it typically indicates that the team’s current best path forward includes the incoming player’s role and a different configuration in the outfield mix.

Seattle’s sequence of actions matters because late-season roster decisions can affect more than just who takes the field. They change bullpen usage, defensive matchups in the late innings, and how frequently starters can be paired with their preferred hitting environments against upcoming opponents.

What to watch next is how quickly Pereda establishes himself in Seattle’s catching rotation after the recall, and whether the Ward acquisition immediately changes the team’s lineup construction. Even without immediate changes to the broader standings picture, these kinds of roster adjustments often determine the day-to-day stability that helps a club sustain momentum in the final stretch.