The Mariners announced that they have selected left-hander Tommy Milone. He will take the active roster spot of fellow lefty Marco Gonzales, who has been placed on the paternity list. To open a spot on the 40-man for Milone, right-hander J.B. Bukauskas was designated for assignment.
Milone, 36, is a veteran journeyman who has suited up for the Nationals, Athletics, Twins, Mets, Mariners, Orioles, Braves and Blue Jays in his career. Though he was capable of holding down a full-time rotation spot earlier in his career, he’s mostly been called upon for emergency spot start duties or long relief in recent years. Since the end of the 2019 season, he’s made 22 appearances, including 10 starts, posting a 6.33 ERA over 69 2/3 innings. He doesn’t rack up strikeouts but has strong control, with a 5.6% walk rate in his career.
Last year, Milone made seven appearances for the M’s, posting a 5.40 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. He also tossed 40 1/3 innings in Triple-A with a 2.68 ERA. He signed a minor league deal with the club over the winter and has already made one Triple-A start here in 2023, tossing five scoreless innings back on April 4.
The Mariners went into the season with six solid starters, pushing Chris Flexen to a long relief role in the bullpen. However, Robbie Ray landed on the injured list just a few days into the season, with a rough expectation of an absence of four to six weeks. That required putting Flexen back into the rotation and now Milone will step up to start tonight’s game while Gonzales steps away for the birth of his child. Stints on the paternity list are allowed for between one and three days, so it seems likely this will be just a single spot start for Milone.
That roster shuffling results in Bukauskas being designated for assignment for the third time in as many months. The former first round pick was let go by the Diamondbacks over the offseason. Seattle grabbed him off waivers but quickly DFA him themselves. He went unclaimed that time and stuck in the organization. The M’s brought him back last week but will take him back off the roster following one appearance.
Bukauskas has 22 MLB games under his belt. He’s allowed 21 runs in 18 2/3 innings at the highest level, though he did post a 2.66 ERA over 20 1/3 Triple-A frames last year. The Mariners will have a week to deal him or put him back on waivers. Because he’s already gone unclaimed once, Bukauskas would have the ability to elect minor league free agency if he clears waivers.
Banix12
Tommy Milone’s career somehow never dies.
Congratulations to him on continuing to cash a paycheck.
getrealgone2
He keeps getting work. Baffling.
Fred Park
Yep, Brought in from out of town to do one quick job.
The hit man.
He was called up today and is pitching in tonight’s game.
I love it.
Fred Park
Paternity list?
It just sounds strange to me.
Baseball has sure changed from when I first knew it.
I done got old, I guess.
IACub
yeah, a lot has changed from the ole golden era. For example, fathers are expected to be present in their children’s lives now.
Fred Park
They are expected to be, yes, IACub. And that can be either good or bad, depending on the actual individual nitwits involved, and whom you are talking to.
That has not changed, at least not in my lifetime.
stubby66
A lot of our guys use to also serve their country during war too in the middle of their prime too. a few even volunteered. Now these guys would find a way not too. Then want asterisks. Funny how none of them ever complained about years they missed or gripe these young guys get more games as far as records. All you hear is that we pitch faster so there is a big difference
Hammerin' Hank
Serve their country? More like serve the oligarchs who planned the wars and the corporations that profit from them.
raregokus
There goes gramps talking about walking to school uphill both ways again…
mlb fan
Tommy Milone, the “hit man”, who just keeps coming back from the dead.
getrealgone2
He’s like Iron Bar from Mad Max
DCartrow
If you need to get a hit, he’s your man.
Joshy
Man baukaskas threw that last game for us. Glad he’s back down
Jgwi2az
Why do I have a bad memory of him pitching for the Brewers too? Spring training maybe?
hiflew
He did pitch for the Brewers as well. 6 games in April/May 2017. In between the Twins and Mets stint.
Jgwi2az
6 games in 2017. Author just missed it
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Is that a Greek name ?,?
jyosuckas
Pretty sure Italian
hiflew
I think he was referring to Bukauskas. According to Wikipedia, he is of Lithuanian origin. So I assume the name is Lithuanian.
BPax
Tommy is the definition of the ‘crafty lefty’ but don’t let the lineup see him more than twice. I wonder what Sam ‘Mayday’ Malone is doing these days?
ndiamond2017
Tommy Milone is the guy you get when the asking price for Ross Detwiler is too high.
AHH-Rox
Slight improvement over Tommy Ramone.
Ace_
Congratulations to Tommy.
Jesse Chavez enthusiast
I’m happy for him, it’s kind of surprising how long he’s stayed in the League with like a 86mph fastball, soft tossers are almost out of the league completely, I like to see outliers in the game.