Mazza signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Monday.
Mazza didn't take much time to find a new organization after he elected free agency last week when the Rays remove him from their 40-man roster. Prior to moving on from Tampa Bay, Mazza appeared in two games for the big club and gave up seven earned runs on nine hits and six walks over 5.1 innings. He's expected to report to Triple-A Tacoma as he begins his tenure with the Mariners.
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Chris Mazza: Elects free agency
Rotowire
Mazza cleared waivers and elected free agency Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mazza was designated for assignment by the Rays on Monday and will choose to become a free agent rather than reporting to Triple-A Durham. He allowed seven runs in 5.1 innings over two relief appearances in the majors this year.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Mazza (back) was activated off the 60-day injured list and designated for assignment Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mazza had been out since late April with lower-back spasms. He's been on a rehab assignment for a full month but wasn't particularly good, posting a 4.85 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in 13 innings of work. His rehab window is now up, and the Rays determined he hadn't shown enough to be worth a 40-man roster spot, so he'll now be available for other teams to claim off waivers.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: In midst of rehab assignment
Rotowire
Mazza (back) has turned in a 4.85 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB across 13 innings in his eight appearances with Triple-A Durham since starting a rehab assignment May 20.
Mazza's 30-day rehab window will come to a close during the upcoming week, so the Rays will have to decide whether to keep him at Durham upon his activation from the 60-day injured or to have him join the big club. If he does stick with the parent club once activated, Mazza is likely to work in a low-leverage long-relief role.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Transferred to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Mazza (back) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Mazza is slated to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Durham on Friday, but he won't be eligible to return from the injured list until at least June 17 following Wednesday's transaction. It doesn't appear as though the right-hander is dealing with a setback, but the move will create space on the 40-man roster for Luke Bard, whose contract was selected Wednesday.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Ready to start rehab assignment
Rotowire
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Mazza (back) will make a one-inning rehab appearance at Triple-A Durham on Friday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
Mazza has been on the shelf since April 22 with back spasms, so the Rays may want to have him make multiple appearances in the minors before bringing him back on the 10-day injured list. Once he's formally reinstated, Mazza is expected to serve as a low-leverage, multi-inning option out of the Tampa Bay bullpen.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Minimal progress
Rotowire
Mazza's back recently "locked up again," halting his rehab progress, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports.
Mazza was placed on the injured list April 23 due to back spasms. Though he's eligible to return, he has continued to experience discomfort and his activation does not appear imminent. Prior to being sidelined, Mazza had been hit hard as a bulk reliever, as he has an 11.81 ERA and 2.81 WHIP with a 5:6 K:BB across 5.1 frames.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Still having discomfort
Rotowire
Mazza was still feeling discomfort in his back Tuesday, CJ Haddad of MLB.com reports.
Mazza was placed on the injured list April 23 due to back spasms, though the date was retroactive to April 18. That makes it likely that he will not be activated when first eligible Thursday. Prior to being sidelined, Mazza had allowed seven earned runs across 5.1 innings.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Out with back spasms
Rotowire
Mazza landed on the 10-day injured list due to lower-back spasms Friday.
The move was backdated three days, so Mazza will be eligible to return in a week, though it's not yet clear if a minimum-length stay is on the table. He's had a very poor start to the season, giving up 10 runs (seven earned) in 5.1 innings while striking out out five batters and walking six. Colin Poche was recalled to take his place in the bullpen.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Gets win despite ugly outing
Rotowire
Mazza (1-0) allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and five walks while striking out one across 2.1 innings to earn the win Sunday against the White Sox.
Mazza entered the game in the third inning and was slated for an extended relief appearance. However, despite throwing 62 pitches, he managed to record only seven outs. He struggled mightily with his control, as he had only a 50 percent strike rate and he started ahead in the count for only seven of the 15 batters he faced. Despite the negatives, Mazza did earn his first win of the season.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Roughed up after early entrance
Rotowire
Mazza pitched three innings against Oakland on Monday, allowing eight runs (six earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out four. He did not factor in the decision.
To Mazza's credit, he ate multiple innings and stuck around for 73 pitches after starter Luis Patino exited during the first inning due to a strained left oblique. However, Mazza was far from impressive in the emergency appearance, yielding a trio of home runs, including long balls to two of the first three batters he faced. This was the first outing of the season for the right-hander, who posted a 4.61 ERA over 27.1 innings for the Rays last season. Given his heavy workload Monday, Mazza will likely be unavailable to pitch for at least a few days.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Wins roster spot
Rotowire
Mazza will break camp in the big-league bullpen, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports.
The 32-year-old entered spring training as a non-roster invitee but has secured a spot on the active roster. Mazza owns a 4.89 ERA and an 18.9 percent strikeout rate in 73.2 major-league innings, so he's unlikely to see high-leverage work.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Signs minor-league deal
Rotowire
Mazza signed a minor-league contract with the Rays on Friday, radio broadcaster Steve Carney reports.
Mazza spent the 2021 campaign with the Rays but was shuffled between the Triple-A and major-league clubs. He logged a 3.16 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 37 innings across 26 appearances (three starts) at Durham, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him invited to spring training in 2022.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Mazza was outrighted to Triple-A Durham on Friday, radio broadcaster Steve Carney reports.
Mazza threw 27.1 largely unremarkable innings this season, striking out a modest 18.8 percent of opposing batters en route to a 4.61 ERA. He'll become a minor-league free agent Sunday.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Not on ALDS roster
Rotowire
Mazza will not be a part of the Rays' ALDS roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The Rays will carry 13 pitchers, but Mazza won't be one of them. He didn't do anything special in 27.1 innings of relief during the regular season, posting a 4.61 ERA and 1.21 WHIP.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Recalled by Rays
Rotowire
Mazza was recalled from Triple-A Durham on Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mazza spent just over a month in the minors, and he struck out eight in 6.2 scoreless innings across his last five appearances. He missed time in September after he was placed on the COVID-19 IL but will now rejoin the major-league bullpen late in the regular season.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Back from COVID-19 IL
Rotowire
Mazza retired the two batters he faced in relief Saturday after being reinstated from Triple-A Durham's 7-day injured list earlier that day.
Mazza was on Durham's IL for just over two weeks due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. He'll likely fill a multi-inning role out of the Durham bullpen for the rest of the season, though his presence on the Rays' 40-man roster will make him a candidate for a call-up if the big club requires another relief arm at any point.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Placed on COVID-19 IL
Rotowire
Mazza was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mazza was sent down Friday, and he'll need to spend some time away from the minor-league club since he was in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. However, the right-hander is expected to rejoin the team soon as long as he doesn't test positive for the virus.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Gets hold in majors return
Rotowire
Mazza secured his first hold in a win over the White Sox on Sunday, allowing two hits and recording two strikeouts over 1.1 scoreless innings.
Mazza made his latest return to the majors count with a solid showing that was part of an impressive four-reliever effort after starter Chris Archer logged just two innings due to hip tightness. The right-hander has shuttled frequently between Triple-A Durham and the majors, but he's been very reliable recently with five scoreless appearances in his last six trips to a big-league mound.
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Rays' Chris Mazza: Brought back from minors
Rotowire
The Rays recalled Mazza from Triple-A Durham on Sunday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
One day after being optioned to Triple-A, Mazza is eligible to rejoin the Rays after designated hitter Nelson Cruz (illness) was placed on the COVID-19-related injured list Sunday. Mazza, who covered two scoreless frames in relief in Friday's series opener with the White Sox, should be available out of the bullpen Sunday.
