Mariners recall Lawrence, option De Jong

SEATTLE -- The Mariners' pitching shuffle continued Wednesday, as the club recalled recently acquired right-hander Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Tacoma and optioned rookie right-hander Chase De Jong back to Tacoma.
Lawrence was claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays last Thursday after going 0-3 with an 8.78 ERA in four appearances for Toronto, including a pair of spot starts.
Lawrence, 29, last started on April 27, when he gave up six runs on 10 hits over five innings in a loss to the Cardinals. He also allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings in a loss to the Angels on April 22 while filling in for Toronto's short-handed rotation.

Lawrence will be available in long relief out of the bullpen for now, and he could be in line to fill De Jong's next scheduled start Sunday against the White Sox at Safeco Field. However, manager Scott Servais said that another current reliever is also a candidate for that start, which would likely mean Dillon Overton.
"[Lawrence] provides some more length in the bullpen," Servais said. "Chase did a good job hanging in there last night. But just where we are trying to manage the games the rest of the homestand, that length piece would be valuable, given the state of our bullpen right now."
Lawrence was 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA over 10 innings in three starts for Triple-A Buffalo prior to his first Major League call-up earlier this season. He allowed one run in one inning of relief for Tacoma on Saturday against Round Rock.
De Jong, 23, started four games in place of Félix Hernández over the last several weeks. He was 0-3 with a 7.40 ERA in six games, including two prior relief appearances.
De Jong was the Texas League Pitcher of the Year for Double-A Tulsa last year, when he went 14-5 with a 2.86 ERA while in the Dodgers' organization. He was 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA In two starts for Tacoma earlier this year.