Mariners’ Taylor Ward addition pushes former Blue Jays player off Seattle's roster

The MLB trade deadline often opens up the window of opportunity for some while slamming said window down for others. The latter instance became the case for former Toronto Blue Jays player Rob Refsnyder as the Seattle released the 35-year-old veteran in the aftermath of their deadline acquisition of slugger Taylor Ward.

For Blue Jays fans, Refsnyder will forever be remembered for his disappointing showing with the club after coming over to Toronto in a trade with the New York Yankees during the summer of 2017. He would appear in only 32 games down the stretch that season for Toronto, posting a dismal .196 average, .496 OPS, with just five runs scored, zero home runs and zero RBIs. As a result, Refsnyder was put on waivers by the Blue Jays following the conclusion of the 2017 season.

Refsnyder has managed to carve out a career in the majors in recent years

However, he has subsequently made himself into quite a serviceable player during his career in the years following his stint with the Blue Jays. In particular, Refsnyder had been a valuable bench role player that hit lefties well during his time with the Boston Red Sox between 2022 and 2025. In 309 games with the Red Sox, he batted a solid .276 with an .804 OPS, along with 117 runs scored, 27 home runs and 119 RBIs.

The 35-year-old outfielder was expected to continue that success after signing with the Mariners during the 2025-26 offseason. However, Refsnyder struggled immensely during his tenure in Seattle, compiling a miserable .140/.211/.254 slash line, with just nine runs scored, four home runs and 11 RBIs in 53 total games played this year.

More significantly, he was no longer smashing southpaws like he used to, as he batted just .222 with a .506 OPS this season. As a result, with his main effective attribute no longer being his bread and butter, Refsnyder became expendable for the Mariners.

As for Ward, he will now have a fresh opportunity to rediscover his game with Seattle. After being a prolific slugger during his years with the Los Angeles Angels, the 32-year-old veteran had suffered a severe power outage this season with his new club in the Baltimore Orioles. In 112 total games, Ward had shockingly hit only seven home runs and had driven in only 30 RBIs to date, after coming off a highly productive 36-home run, 103-RBI campaign in 2025 with the Angels.

While Ward gets his chance now for redemption with the Mariners, Refsnyder will hope to find a new home before the season’s end to continue his big league career.

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