Mariners Place Sam Tuivailala on Unconditional Release Waivers MarinersPR Follow Mar 20 · 2 min read

SEATTLE, Wash. — Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto announced today that the club has placed right-handed pitcher Sam Tuivailala on unconditional release waivers for the purpose of granting him his unconditional release.

Seattle’s Major League, 40-man, roster is now at 38 players. The Mariners Spring Training roster is now at 44 players (plus one 60-day Injured List player): 31 roster players, 13 non-roster invitees and 1 player on the 60-day Injured List.

Tuivailala, 27, did not appear in a 2020 Cactus League game prior to the suspension of Spring Training.

Tuivailala went 1–0 with a 2.35 ERA (6 ER, 23.0 IP) with 27 strikeouts and 11 walks in 23 appearances (2 starts) with the Mariners last season. He began the 2019 season on the Injured List recovering from surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. He suffered the original injury on August 8, 2018 at Texas and underwent surgery to repair the tendon August 15, 2018. Tuivailala was placed on the 10-day IL on March 18, 2019 and was transferred to the 60-day IL on May 25, 2019. He made appearances on rehab assignments with Short-A Everett (2 GS), High-A Modesto (6 G), Double-A Arkansas (5 G) and Triple-A Tacoma (6 G) prior to being reinstated from the 60-day IL on July 15. From July 20 — September 1, he did not allow a run over 14 consecutive outings covering 14.1 innings. During that span, he struck out 16, while walking only 6 and holding opponents to a .140 batting average.

Tuivailala was acquired by the Mariners in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Seth Elledge on July 27, 2018. In parts of six Major League seasons with St. Louis (2014–18) and Seattle (2018–19), he is 8–7 with a 3.33 (47 ER, 127.0 IP) in 124 relief appearances and 2 starts. He was the Cardinals 3rd round selection in the 2010 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Tuivailala was converted from shortstop to pitcher in 2012 and made the jump from rookie ball to the Majors in just 87 appearances, debuting vs. the Reds on Sept. 9, 2014.