Mariners add four players as rosters expand

HOUSTON, Texas - The Seattle Mariners today announced the following roster moves prior to tonight's game at the Houston Astros. Jeff Kingston, the Mariners Assistant General Manager, made the announcement.

•   Shawn O'Malley, INF, selected from AAA Tacoma
•   Jose Ramirez, RHP, recalled from AAA Tacoma
•   Stefen Romero, OF, recalled from AAA Tacoma
•   Tony Zych, RHP, selected from AAA Tacoma (pronounced zick)

O'Malley (#36), Ramirez (#31), Romero (#17) & Zych (#55) will be available for tonight's game against the Houston Astros.

O'Malley, 27, spent most of the season with AAA Tacoma, hitting .297 (92x310) with 50 runs, 11 doubles, 5 triples, 5 home runs, 39 RBI and 20 steals in 89 games. He was signed as a minor league free agent on Jan. 22 and was a non-roster invitee to Mariners Spring Training. He has appeared in 11 Major League games, all with the Angels in 2014. In parts of 10 minor league seasons after being drafted by Tampa Bay in the 5^th round of the 2006 June Amateur Draft out of Southridge High School in Kennewick, Washington, he has hit .262 (745x2845) with 476 runs, 94 doubles, 47 triples, 17 home runs and 247 RBI in 813 games.

Ramirez, 25, appeared in 9 games with AAA Tacoma where he was 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA (13 ER, 13.0 IP) in 9 relief appearances after being optioned post-game on Aug. 3. This is his second stint with the Mariners but has yet to appear in a game for Seattle. He was acquired from New York at the trade deadline, where he was 3-0 with 10 saves and a 2.90 ERA (16 ER, 49.2 IP) in 32 relief appearances with AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. Ramirez also saw action in 3 Major League games with the Yankees this season (0-0, 15.00 ERA) and made 8 appearances in his debut season in 2014 (0-2, 5.40).

Romero, 26, has spent all season with AAA Tacoma, hitting .292 (139x476) with 77 runs, 37 doubles, 4 triples, 17 home runs and 79 RBI in 116 games with the Rainiers. He hit a career-high 37 doubles and led Tacoma in runs, hits, doubles and RBI. In parts of 5 minor league seasons, he has hit .306 (589x1923) with 302 runs, 124 doubles, 21 triples, 79 home runs and 357 RBI in 482 games after being drafted by Seattle in the 12^th round of the 2010 June amateur draft.

Zych, 25, split the season between AA Jackson & AAA Tacoma, combining to go 1-2 with a 2.98 ERA (16 ER, 48.1 IP) with 55 strikeouts in 40 games. With Tacoma, he was 1-2 with a 3.41 ERA (12 ER, 31.2 IP) with 37 strikeouts in 25 relief appearances. He was acquired from the Cubs by the Mariners on April 2 in exchange for cash considerations after spending his first four minor league seasons with Chicago (NL) after being drafted in the 4^th round of the 2011 June amateur draft.