Not many players stay in or around Major League Baseball until age 38, and most have a lot more name recognition than Casey Lawrence.
Lawrence only appeared in six major league games this past year, but that’s six more than he saw in all of 2024. In fact, Lawrence went three straight years once without appearing in the majors (2019 to 2021) despite debuting in 2017.
The journeyman right-handed pitcher came to the Seattle Mariners for his second and third stints this year, with a brief hiatus in the middle for the Toronto Blue Jays. And although he shouldn’t be expected to play a huge role, he’ll be back for more with Seattle in 2026, at least to start the spring.
Casey Lawrence returns to Seattle… again
According to a report from Aram Leighton of Just Baseball, Lawrence and the Mariners agreed to a minor-league contract for the upcoming season last week. The deal has yet to be reflected on Lawrence’s official roster page.
All told, Lawrence had a 4.08 ERA in 17 2/3 innings this season, and a 3.00 ERA in his 15 innings with the Mariners. He certainly wasn’t close to being picked for the playoff roster, but he stayed with the club through the end of the playoff run until Nov. 6, when he elected free agency.
Those results were above average in terms of Lawrence’s overall track record. In 65 career appearances for the Mariners, Blue Jays, and St. Louis Cardinals, Lawrence has a rough 6.42 ERA and 1.67 WHIP. He also briefly played in the minor leagues with the Minnesota Twins organization.
Seattle’s pitching staff as currently constructed is as well-equipped to handle the toll of 162 games as just about any other club. But in baseball, one never quite knows how injuries might take their toll, and if a few things break his way, perhaps the journeyman Lawrence will get another shot on a big-league mound.
