Overview
- Seattle requested unconditional release waivers on reliever Ryan Loutos on Thursday, a step that lets any team place a claim.
- He is out with an undisclosed injury, and MLB rules do not allow teams to outright injured players, which is why Seattle used release waivers.
- The Mariners had designated Loutos for assignment after adding shortstop prospect Colt Emerson to the 40-man roster for his first major-league contract.
- If Loutos goes unclaimed, he would become a free agent who can talk to all 29 other clubs, and this designation signals Seattle does not plan to keep him in its minor-league system.
- Loutos, 27, went undrafted out of Division III Washington University and has 15 MLB outings with the Cardinals, Dodgers, and Nationals, with rough recent results and an 18.00 ERA in four spring games for Seattle.