Scratch another name off the group of right-handed relievers vying for a spot in the Mariners reworked bullpen.
The Mariners made a major roster move on Wednesday morning, releasing right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus.
The move was surprising because the Mariners had penciled De Fratus into one of their middle relief spots. But it wasn’t stunning considering how De Fratus has pitched this spring. In four appearances, he pitched a total of six innings, allowing six hits with three earned runs, three walks, four strikeouts, a hit batter and a wild pitch. There have been worse numbers from relievers, but De Fratus’ numbers probably should have been worse considering the number of runners he had on base in each outing.