The Seattle Mariners have designated reliever Jackson Kowar for assignment, opening a 40-man roster spot for catcher Jhonny Pereda. This move comes after the Mariners acquired Pereda from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations. The Twins had previously designated Pereda for assignment when they signed free agent catcher Victor Caratini to a two-year contract.
Kowar, a former supplemental first-round pick of the Royals, had a tumultuous time with the organization. He was traded to the Braves for injured starter Kyle Wright over the 2022-23 offseason, but his time with the Braves was short-lived. The Braves then flipped Kowar to the Mariners as part of a multi-player deal that sent Jarred Kelenic to Atlanta.
Kowar's time with the Mariners was marked by injury and underperformance. He underwent Tommy John surgery during his first Spring Training with the team and missed significant time. He struggled with shoulder issues, leading to a season-ending impingement in August. Despite these setbacks, Kowar has only made 15 appearances in a Seattle uniform, allowing eight runs over 17 innings with 15 strikeouts and a 13.1% walk percentage.
With an 8.21 earned run average and a 20.3% strikeout rate across 91 MLB innings, Kowar's performance has been underwhelming. The Mariners' decision to designate him for assignment is a strategic move to create space for other players and potentially improve the team's overall performance.
This move highlights the challenges of managing a roster and the impact of player performance on team dynamics. As the story unfolds, we'll see how the Mariners navigate this change and whether they can turn things around for the better.
