Mariners recall LHP Roenis Elías from AAA Tacoma

Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto today announced today the following roster moves:
 
· Roenis Elías, LHP, recalled from AAA Tacoma.
· Marc Rzepczynski, LHP, designated for assignment.
 
Elías will be in uniform (#55) and available for tonight's (7:10 pm PT) game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays at Safeco Field.
 
The Mariners now have 7 days to trade, release or outright the contract of Rzepczynski to the minor leagues.
 
Seattle's Major League, 40-man roster, is now at 39 players.
 
Elías, 29, was acquired by the Mariners from Boston in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations on April 23. After reporting to AAA Tacoma, he went 2-4 with a 4.94 ERA (17 ER, 31.0 IP) with 27 strikeouts and 12 walks in 7 games (6 starts). In his last outing on May 27 at Las Vegas, he tossed 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 3. Prior to being acquired by Seattle, Elías was 1-0 with 1 save and a 1.23 ERA (1 ER, 7.1 IP) with 9 strikeouts and 2 walks in 4 games with AAA Pawtucket (Boston). In 11 games (10 starts) between Tacoma and Pawtucket this season, he has limited opposing left-handed batters to a .216 (11x51) average against while striking out 14 and walking 5.
 
The 5-foot-11, 197-pound left-hander spent the majority of the 2017 season on the disabled list with the Red Sox. He began the season on the 10-day DL with a right oblique strain and was transferred to the 60-day DL on June 15. He combined to make 7 rehab starts with high-A Salem, short-A Lowell, AA Portland and AAA Pawtucket. He was activated from the 60-day DL and optioned to Pawtucket on Aug. 17, where he made 3 more starts. Elías was recalled by Boston on Sept. 1 and made his only Major League appearance of 2017 on Sept. 4 vs. Toronto, striking out 1 and walking 1 in 0.1 innings pitched.
 
In parts of 4 Major League seasons with the Mariners (2014-15) and Red Sox (2016-17), he is 15-21 with a 4.20 ERA (134 ER, 287.0 IP) with 244 strikeouts and 114 walks in 55 career games (50 starts). He has held opposing left-handed batters to a .232 (56x241) average against during his Major League career. Elías was acquired by the Red Sox from the Mariners on Dec. 7, 2015 along with RHP Carson Smith in exchange for LHP Wade Miley and RHP Jonathan Aro.
 
The lefty made his Major League debut with the Mariners on April 3, 2014 at Oakland and went on to compile a record of 10-12 with a 3.85 ERA (70 ER, 163.2 IP) with 143 strikeouts and 64 walks in 29 starts in his rookie season. He became just the 5th left-handed rookie in club history to earn 10 wins. On June 1, 2014 vs. Detroit, he tossed a shutout, allowing only 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 1. He is one of 10 rookies in club history (done 16x) to throw a shutout. He originally signed with Seattle as a minor league free agent on May 3, 2011.
 
Rzepczynski, 32, was 0-1 with a 9.39 ERA (8 ER, 7.2 IP) with 10 strikeouts and 9 walks in 18 relief appearances with the Mariners this season. Opposing batters are hitting .342 (13x38) off Rzepczynski this season. Over his last 9 outings, dating back to April 26, he had allowed 7 runs (4 earned runs) on 7 hits and 7 walks while striking out 7 in 3.2 innings of work.
 
After being signed by the Mariners as a free agent on Dec. 3, 2016, Rzepczynski went 2-2 with 1 save and a 4.02 ERA (14 ER, 31.1 IP) with 25 strikeouts and 20 walks in 64 relief appearances with Seattle in 2017. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound left-hander stranded 44-of-52 (85%) inherited runners last season, the top mark in the Major Leagues (min. 50 inherited runners). Rzepczynski tallied a career-high 20 holds, which ranked T12th in the American League. His 64 outings ranked 3rd on the club, trailing Nick Vincent (69) and Edwin Díaz (66).
 
In parts of 10 Major League seasons with Toronto (2009-11), St. Louis (2011-13), Cleveland (2013-15), San Diego (2015), Oakland (2016), Washington (2016) and Seattle (2017-18), Rzepczynski holds a career record of 14-27 with 2 saves and a 3.92 ERA (188 ER, 432.0 IP) with 408 strikeouts and 204 walks in 501 games (23 starts). He made his 500th career Major League appearance on May 29 vs. Texas and ranks 5th among active left-handed relievers with 501 career games. Rzepczynski has made 21 career postseason appearances, going 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA (6 ER, 12.2 IP) with 16 strikeouts and 6 walks. The native of Oak Lawn, IL., was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of California-Riverside.