Mariners reliever Penn Murfee claimed off waivers by Mets

With the World Series scheduled to end by Sunday if not before then, the Mariners made a handful of moves to clean up their 40-man roster ahead of the official end of the 2023 season.

On Tuesday, the team announced that right-handed reliever Penn Murfee had been claimed off waivers by the New York Mets while right-handed pitcher Easton McGee, left-handed pitcher Adam Oller and catcher Luis Torrens had all cleared waivers and were outrighted to Class AAA Tacoma.

All four players were previously on the Mariners’ 40-man roster.

Murfee and McGee both ended the 2023 season on the 60-day injured list after undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair torn ulnar collateral ligaments in their elbows.

Per MLB rules, all players on the 60-day injured list must be returned to the 40-man roster. Besides Murfee and McGee, Seattle also had left-handed pitchers Robbie Ray and Marco Gonzales, right-handed pitcher Emerson Hancock and first baseman Evan White on the 60-day IL. All four must be returned to the 40-man roster after the World Series ends.

With neither Murfee nor McGee expected to be ready by opening day and closer to midseason, the Mariners placed them on waivers with the hope that they would go unclaimed and be outrighted to their minor league system.

But the Mets decided to claim Murfee, who was a valuable contributor in the Mariners’ 2022 bullpen, and put him on their 40-man roster. The 29-year-old right-hander made 16 appearance in the 2023 season, posting a 1.29 ERA in 14 innings pitched. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation on May 15. He returned for one appearance June 11 and reinjured the elbow. He underwent season-ending surgery in mid-July.

A 33rd-round draft pick out of Santa Clara, Murfee exceeded the long odds of making the big leagues by relying heavily on a sweeping slider and pinpoint command. He made his MLB debut on April 29, 2022, and made 64 appearances for Seattle, posting a 2.99 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 18 walks in 69 1/3 innings and gaining the trust of manager Scott Servais.

McGee, 25, was acquired from the Red Sox in exchange for cash last offseason. He made one MLB appearance this season for Seattle, starting against the Blue Jays on April 29. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing one hit with two strikeouts. But he was placed on the injured list the next day with elbow discomfort. He underwent Tommy John surgery in late May.

Torrens and Oller were both signed to minor league contracts and can opt for free agency.