The Athletics continued reshaping their pitching staff on Thursday, announcing the acquisition of former Atlanta Braves left-hander from the Seattle Mariners. The move comes only days after Seattle designated him for assignment, ending his brief stint with the club almost as quickly as it began.
Suarez, who has spent parts of several seasons in the majors, made just one appearance for the Mariners after being claimed off waivers from Atlanta earlier this month. In that outing, the left-hander surrendered one run on two hits across two innings of relief work. Despite the limited sample size, Seattle opted to move on from Suarez in order to create roster space for the return of right-hander Bryce Miller, who was reinstated from the 15-day injured list earlier this week.
Because Suarez is out of minor league options, the Athletics are expected to keep him on their active major league roster rather than sending him to the minors. The 27-year-old now joins an Oakland pitching staff searching for additional depth and versatility as the team battles through the middle portion of the season. His ability to work both as a starter and reliever could give the Athletics flexibility while they navigate injuries and workload management during an increasingly competitive AL West race.
Although Suarez has struggled with consistency in recent seasons, he still brings valuable major league experience. Before joining Seattle, he appeared in eight games with the Braves this season, posting a 6.61 ERA while recording one save. Across both organizations this year, Suarez owns a 0-1 record with one save and a 6.38 ERA in nine appearances, including one start.
To complete the deal, the Athletics sent cash considerations to Seattle, according to a report from MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams. In a corresponding roster move, Oakland designated outfielder Junior Perez for assignment to clear room on the 40-man roster. Perez will now either be claimed by another organization, traded, or potentially remain in the Athletics organization if he clears waivers.
Seattle originally claimed Suarez off waivers from Atlanta on May 3, hoping the veteran left-hander could provide bullpen depth. However, after only 11 days with the organization and one appearance at the major league level, the Mariners elected to move in a different direction as they adjusted their roster around returning injured players.
For Oakland, the move represents a low-risk opportunity to add an experienced arm with starting experience and left-handed versatility. As the season progresses and pitching depth becomes increasingly important, the Athletics will hope a change of scenery can help Suarez rediscover some of the form that once made him a dependable contributor at the major league level.
