The Mariners announced a slew of roster moves ahead of Monday's game against the Dodgers that trimmed their big league camp and created more clarity toward the 26-man Opening Day unit.

Here’s a breakdown of the moves:

Optioned to alternate training site
• RHP Yohan Ramirez
• INF Donovan Walton

Reassigned to Minors camp
• RHP Logan Gilbert
• Relievers JT Chargois, Taylor Guerrieri, Vinny Nittoli and Jimmy Yacabonis
• C Brian O’Keefe
• INF Jantzen Witte
• OF Eric Filia

Reassigned to Minors rehab
• LHP Roenis Elías

Released
• RHP Gerson Bautista

Ramirez was a late arrival to Spring Training due to COVID protocols and had pitched in just one game. Given that just six Cactus League contests remain, the 2020 standout will be short on reps against opposing hitters. But Seattle optioning him to the alternate training site instead of Minors camp indicates he’ll be with the big league club sooner than later. The same goes for Walton, who will be an immediate infield reinforcement after the regular season begins.

Bautista, whose stuff was touted with big upside when rising through the Minors, was acquired in the Jarred Kelenic trade with the Mets, but he experienced a significant injury in both ’19 (pectoralis strain) and ’20 (elbow UCL sprain) that impacted his time in Seattle. Given the bevy of arms in camp and the limited opportunities, there wasn’t a fit for him long term. Elías was headed to being a lock before needing Tommy John surgery.

No. 4 prospect Gilbert being optioned to the Minors was anticipated, given that manager Scott Servais said that the right-hander wouldn’t make any more Cactus starts and will slowly build his workload before contributing most of his big league innings in the second half of the season.

So, where does this leave the bullpen?
Ramirez being optioned further opens the door for a throng of arms competing for low- to mid-leverage innings out of the bullpen, after high-leverage arms Rafael Montero and Kendall Graveman. Despite a mostly sluggish start to Spring Training, Keynan Middleton remains in the mix for important innings after picking things up over the past week. He has one Minor League option left, though, so his situation has flexibility. Anthony Misiewicz, Seattle’s best bullpen arm last year, figures to be a lock.

If those four are included, that would leave Casey Sadler, Drew Steckenrider, Erik Swanson, No. 30 prospect Joey Gerber and Rule 5 Draft pick Will Vest vying for the other four spots, after relievers Chargois, Guerrieri, Nittoli and Yacabonis were reassigned to Minors camp.

Here’s the situation for each:

• Sadler: The righty was unblemished all spring until giving up a solo homer to White Sox outfielder Nick Williams on Friday. He’s racked up 12 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings and has been a name that Servais has mentioned when asked who’s impressed him most.

• Steckenrider: He has 123 games of big league experience with the Marlins and features high-90s velocity and decent stuff overall. But command has been an issue, with a career 10.4% walk rate. He’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster, but he could slide in for Ken Giles once Giles is moved to the 60-day injured list.

• Swanson: Brought up as a starter, the righty has multi-inning ability, which will be huge, particularly in the early leg of the season when starters’ workloads will be monitored closely. He’s also improved his secondary pitches this spring.

• Gerber: The righty seemed a little overwhelmed at times during his rookie season in 2020, and a few outings this spring have gotten away from him. But he’s been scoreless in five of his seven appearances and has a strong chance to break camp with the club. If he doesn’t, he’d likely be on a short list of reinforcements.

• Vest: His changeup was one of the more talked-about pitches early in camp, but Vest has been mostly hit or miss this spring, going scoreless in four outings and giving up a combined eight runs in the other three. The Mariners would need to keep him on the 26-man roster all season or risk having to send him back to the Tigers.