The Mariners announced Thursday afternoon that infielder Tommy La Stella has cleared waivers and been released. He’s now a free agent.
Seattle designated the 34-year-old La Stella for assignment earlier in the week when selecting the contract of top pitching prospect Bryce Miller. He’d signed on with the team back in January after being released by the Giants ahead of the third and final season of a three-year contract, but a spring elbow injury had prevented La Stella from playing the field. He’s been limited to DH and pinch-hit duties so far, taking just 24 plate appearances in 12 games over the season’s first month. It was a curious use of a roster spot in the first place, and La Stella’s .190/.292/.238 slash in that span didn’t make the decision look any better.
La Stella was a high-end, contact-oriented utilityman with the Cubs, Angels and A’s from 2016-20, batting a combined .282/.358/.435 in 1061 plate appearances and walking at nearly as high a clip as he struck out (9.6% vs. 10.6%). That strong run helped him land a three-year, $18.75MM deal with the Giants, but things didn’t pan out for La Stella either in San Francisco. His .250/.308/.405 line in 242 plate appearances in 2021 was at least passable, but a hamstring tear limited him to just 76 games. The following season saw La Stella miss time with Achilles and neck injuries, batting just .239/.282/.350 in 195 plate appearances between stints on the injured list.
Health troubles have mounted for La Stella in recent years, but given his track record, contact skills and ability to play multiple positions, another club could still show some interest. He’ll likely need to settle for a minor league deal at this point, particularly since it’s not fully clear when he might again be an option to play defense on a regular basis.
Wow
Remember when he said he was gonna retire cause the cubs didn’t want him? We’ll maybe it’s time
Who will be the first to yell “La Stella!”
Marlon Brando says hello
Speaking of Marlon Brando, anyone ever hear of the song “Stuck in a Condo with Marlon Brando.” Funny song from the Dickies. My two cents. YouTube it.
Bye bye bye bye
On the bright side, though, Taylor Trammell just homered in today’s game and the Mariners lead Oakland 2-1.
I think Trammell is a keeper this time up in The Show.
Trammell to the rescue again.
He’s got it figured out, I do believe.
Go Mariners!
I was thinking Trammell in right and put Teo at DH most days.
@SAM’S I will say that Taylor looked a bit slower on a foul ball in left today. In ‘21 he had “plus” speed but he seems to have filled out a bit and lost a step or two. As do most guys
Fred I remember you and I hypothesizing several months ago about Trammell making an impact this year. He continues to look better and better at the plate with every new season. Excited for him to stay healthy. I think he can hit 20 HR with regular at bats and looks solid as a corner guy out there.
Yes, SODOMOJO, I remember.
I hope you are right.
Just if we could play Oakland everyday. Maybe next year Harry Ford will be ready to take over 2nd for us.
Yes, SAM’s. I agree fully.
I can’t believe how quiet the games have been on tv. Quite literally the quietest Mariner games I’ve ever watched. Reminds me of watching a slow Nippon league game
Really sucks for those fans. We’ve been there! Go Sonics
Oakland.
That’s actually the main reason the Athletics are trying to move to another town, probably.
SODOMOJO, the attendance today was about 13,000. In a major league ballpark, that amounts to a pretty quiet crowd.
Almost like they already have Teos replacement when he leaves in FA this winter. Cause he’s not gonna sign a big deal just to DH their and Seattle isn’t gonna want to sign him to that expensive deal if they have younger, cheaper options
Tuesday they said it was only like 2500 people at the game. We need the Al east to start losing looks like the wild cards are all going to come from there.
He’s all of 25 years old. We were misled by the management in thinking once the team had pushed beyond rebuild that spending on players was going to happen. Something that compares with Houston, Texas, LA. who we will find more difficult to overcome.
We are 40 million behind Houston, la and Tex and it is showing on the field.
Fred there were 5K kids there almost more than first 2 games combined with just the kids.
It is too bad they have let the place fall into such disrepair. I not sure if I was Rickey I would want the field named after me. I guess ego might take over though.
I am no Oakland fan of any sports but I do recognize the fan base of both the Raiders and As have been good. Tough to see city’s lose teams it sucks. Not sure who is to blame for woes of finding a new site a bit of both I imagine. Sorry Oakland but looks like you lose another team.
I wouldn’t call it Stella but it was a nice career.
La Stella in Spanish translates to “The stella”.
With Ruf back onboard, time for Farhan to resign La Stella and bring the band back together!
I like LaStella, but his body failed him and now he is done.
Ran into Tommy two days ago at Ricobenes in Chicago. He was enjoying a slice and wearing a Ron Kittle jersey. We talked baseball for about 10 minutes or so. He mentioned that the White Soxs are going to sign him to a minor league deal. You heard it here first
Get out of town!
The White Sox are gonna sign Ron Kittle? Again? This is GREAT!
Ask him how Ma and Pa Kittle are doing?
):^0
so since he’s been released twice – are just the giants paying him or does he collect 2 paychecks for not playing?
Neat trivia… when the Giants played Texas in the 2010 World Series, Bengie Molina collected FULL world series shares from BOTH sides. He was traded from SF to Texas mid-season. Apparently both squads held him in such high regard that he was voted full shares by both squads!
Giants are on the hook for the bulk of his salary and the M’s will be paying the league min. – so, yes, two paychecks. If a team signs him again to a ML deal, they assume what’s owed by the M’s.
@bag o ballz Just the Giants. The M’s were only paying a prorated league-minimum during his time on their roster and don’t have to pay anything further after his release.
Obviously the fall guy for Seattle’s cratering season.
SHould never have signed him. He is not the type of player contending teams carry and the Mariners have a couple of those types In AJ and Wong