Festa signed a minor-league contract with the Padres on Friday and received an invitation to major-league spring training.
Festa pitched in parts of four seasons for the Mariners before being DFA'd in August, accumulating a 4.32 career ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 93.2 total innings. He'll get a chance to make the Padres' Opening Day roster, though his role likely caps out as a middle reliever.
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Matt Festa: Cut by Mariners
Rotowire
The Mariners released Festa on Tuesday.
He had been designated for assignment and is now free to look for a gig elsewhere after clearing waivers. Festa has yielded four earned runs and walked 12 over nine major-league innings this season.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Festa was designated for assignment by the Mariners on Tuesday.
This move clears out a 40-man roster spot for Ryan Jensen, who has been claimed off waivers from the Cubs. Festa, 30, had allowed four earned runs on four hits and 12 walks in just nine major-league innings this year.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Optioned to Tacoma
Rotowire
The Mariners optioned Festa to Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
With Bryce Miller (finger) returning from the injured list to start Sunday, Festa will serve as the Mariners' roster casualty. The 30-year-old righty made two appearances during his latest major-league stint, throwing 2.1 scoreless frames while giving up one hit and striking out three.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Summoned to big leagues
Rotowire
Festa was called up to the Mariners from Triple-A Tacoma on Monday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Festa is assuming the roster and bullpen spot vacated by Trevor Gott, who was traded to the Mets. The right-handed Festa holds a 5.40 ERA over six relief appearances in the majors in 2023.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Mariners optioned Festa to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday.
Festa made three appearances after being recalled from Tacoma at the end of May, throwing 3.1 hitless innings while striking out five batters and walking three. Despite that impressive stretch, he will head back to Triple-A as Penn Murfee (elbow) returns from the 15-day IL.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Summoned from Tacoma
Rotowire
Seattle recalled Festa from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Festa excelled with Tacoma after being demoted early in April by the Mariners with a 0.43 ERA and a 16:10 K:BB over 21 innings. The right-hander was a big part of the Seattle bullpen in 2022, but struggled in the early going of the season with a 10.80 ERA (four runs in 3.1 innings). He should be a middle-inning option for Seattle while he's with the club. Darren McCaughan was optioned to Triple-A to open room on the roster for Festa.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Mariners optioned Festa to Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Festa struggled in his first two appearances of the year and threw just six of 14 pitches for a strike during Saturday's appearance against the Guardians before being pulled. He was a solid part of the Seattle bullpen in 2023, however, and he'll likely be back as a middle-innings option in the next few weeks.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Good start to spring
Rotowire
Festa has fired two perfect innings during which he's recorded two strikeouts across two Cactus League appearances this spring.
The 30-year-old right-hander logged a career-high 54 innings across 53 appearances in 2022, posting a 2-0 record, two saves and six holds with a 4.17 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Festa produced an impressive 10.7 K/9 along the way and was involved in high-leverage work at times, but he's likely ticketed for more of a middle-relief role in 2023 as long as there aren't a rash of injuries in front of him.
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Mariners' Matt Festa: Working in middle relief
Rotowire
Festa has not seen a save opportunity since July 30 and has a 2.70 ERA, 0.75 WHIP and four strikeouts in 6.2 innings in August.
He had a run of high-leverage usage in late July, but is firmly in the middle-relief mix now with Seattle. Paul Sewald and Andres Munoz are the top Mariners relievers to roster in fantasy.
