Randy Dobnak’s Mariners Deal Includes June 15 Upward Mobility Clause

The Mariners’ pitching depth could change quickly after June 15. According to Ari Alexander of 7News Boston as reported by MLB Trade Rumors, right-hander Randy Dobnak’s minor league contract with Seattle contains an “upward mobility” clause dated June 15. Dobnak has spent the season’s early stretch in Triple-A Tacoma, and the clause creates a deadline-based decision for Seattle on whether to bring him onto the organization’s 40-man roster or allow him to pursue a major league opportunity elsewhere.

Upward mobility clauses in minor league deals work like a contractual forcing mechanism. When triggered, the player is offered to the other 29 MLB clubs, giving teams an opportunity to roster the player by adding him to their own 40-man. MLB Trade Rumors has described the practical effect in recent cases: if another club wants the player, the current organization must either add the player to its own roster as well or trade him to that club. If no team expresses interest in rostering him, the player can remain with the minor league affiliate as non-roster depth.

For Seattle, the timing matters because it arrives during a stretch when roster flexibility is limited by the structure of the current major league staff. MLB Trade Rumors described the 2026 Mariners as running a six-man starting rotation, supported by a seven-man bullpen, which is one way teams can reduce the wear and tear of frequent innings limits but also compresses the number of available roster spots. In that environment, even a pitcher with acceptable production can be difficult to keep close without making a move elsewhere.

Dobnak’s case, at least on paper, is the kind that often draws outside interest if the market is open. MLB Trade Rumors reported that Dobnak has posted respectable Triple-A results through the early part of the season, including averaging just over five innings per start and showing a ground-ball profile that stood out among qualified Triple-A pitchers. It also framed the context that Triple-A’s Pacific Coast League environment can inflate offensive numbers, so the Mariners and any potential suitors would likely focus on peripherals and run-prevention indicators as they weigh a potential 40-man addition.

Just as important, Dobnak’s path to the majors does not necessarily require the Mariners or another club to keep him in Seattle’s (or another team’s) everyday rotation. ’s rules for minor league options clarify that players on a 40-man roster are “optioned” to the minors without being run through waivers, as long as they still have option years remaining. That means a team could add Dobnak to its 40-man roster and still keep him at Triple-A, if it believes he is close enough to contribute while also wanting the roster flexibility that comes with options.

If the clause is triggered, the next step is less about performance and more about roster availability across the league. When a club is asked to consider a player for its 40-man, the decision can be influenced by everything from bullpen usage to injury replacement plans to the readiness of internal alternatives. And while outright waivers are a different mechanism than an upward mobility clause, ’s waiver primer underscores a broader theme in roster management: the 40-man roster is the choke point. Once a team commits a roster spot, the player’s movement options change.

What to watch next is straightforward. MLB Trade Rumors tied the key date to June 15, so the league’s transaction market may start positioning itself around whether Seattle will add Dobnak to the 40-man roster before that deadline. If the clause is pulled, teams that want controllable pitching depth and are comfortable keeping a pitcher at Triple-A would have a chance to express interest and force the Mariners to make a real choice, either calling him up or trading him.