Minor MLB Transactions: 3/4/17

We’ll track the day’s minor moves here:

• The Mariners have outrighted infielder Mike Freeman after he cleared waivers, per a club announcement. He’ll head back to MLB camp as a non-roster player. GM Jerry Dipoto suggested yesterday that Freeman lost his place on the roster in large part because the club felt he was the likeliest of the reserve infield candidates to clear waivers. Now that he has, presumably, there’s still a chance he could crack the Opening Day roster, though he’ll also be at a disadvantage since he lost his 40-man spot.
• Righty Steve Johnson will join the Orioles on a minor-league deal, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to report on Twitter. The 29-year-old has spent five prior years in the O’s organization, cracking the majors in three seasons. Last year, he worked to a 4.32 ERA in 16 2/3 MLB frames with the Mariners, striking out 9.2 but walking 5.9 batters per nine. Johnson did produce better numbers at Triple-A, though, posting a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings with 10.6 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9. That continued a noticeable pattern in which Johnson struggles with free passes at the MLB level (5.6 BB/9 lifetime) despite carrying palatable (or better) rates in the upper minors.