PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners reassigned veteran outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis to Minor League camp on Tuesday, leaving one decision remaining before their final 25-man roster is set prior to Thursday's Opening Day.
In addition, the Mariners signed free-agent outfielder Jayson Werth to a Minor League deal, according to a source, as Seattle will see what the veteran has left at age 38.
Nieuwenhuis' departure leaves Seattle with 30 players on its Major League roster, but four -- outfielder Ben Gamel, starters Erasmo Ramirez and Hisashi Iwakuma and reliever David Phelps -- will be placed on the disabled list before the roster is turned into the league on Thursday morning.
The remaining question revolves around the health of outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who has played sparingly since he signed on March 7. The club is carrying two utility players -- Andrew Romine and Taylor Motter -- who can play the outfield.
Romine appears a lock to make the club, but Motter could also be kept if Ichiro isn't deemed ready.
Seattle opens its season against the Indians on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. PT at Safeco Field and the final roster must be set by 9 a.m. PT.
Ichiro, was in the lineup for Tuesday's spring finale against the Rockies in Scottsdale, but played in just four previous Cactus League games due to a strained right calf. The hope was that the 44-year-old could fill in on a regular basis in left field after Gamel strained his oblique muscle in early March, but he'll need to prove healthy to fill that role.
Ichiro got five at-bats in a Minor League game on Monday night, going 1-for-5 with a single, and was running much better than in his previous Minor League outing on Saturday
Nieuwenhuis, 30, hit .250 with three home runs in 32 at-bats this spring since returning from a sore hamstring. The six-year veteran hit just .115 in 26 at-bats last year for the Brewers, but has played 414 games in the Majors with a line of .221/.311/.384. He started 92 games for Milwaukee in 2016.
Werth initially will work out at the club's complex in Arizona and is expected to open the season with Triple-A Tacoma.
Werth completed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Nationals at the end of last season, but wants to continue playing after an injury-plagued 2017 during which he hit .226/.322/.393 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 70 games.
The 15-year Major League veteran was a National League All-Star with the Phillies in 2009 and is a career .267/.360/.455 hitter while also spending time with the Blue Jays and Dodgers. He was a full-time starter in '16 with the Nats, batting .244 with 21 homers and 69 RBIs in 606 plate appearances, but missed nearly half of last season with a fractured foot.