Brewers lose a former first rounder to AL West contender to waiver claim

Thursday was a busy day around Major League Baseball as the deadline for players and teams to exchange arbitration figures was front and center in the news cycle. The Milwaukee Brewers thankfully reached settlements with everyone except William Contreras, who will head to a hearing.

In a blink-and-you-just-might-miss-it type of move, the Brewers lost a relief pitcher to the Seattle Mariners via the waiver wire during all the arbitration madness. The Mariners themselves took to social media to announce that left-hander Tyler Jay had been claimed off of waivers from the Crew.

Mariners claim Tyler Jay off of waivers from the Brewers

A former first-round pick of the Twins back in the 2015 MLB Draft, Jay bounced around from the Twins, to the Reds and even to independent ball before finally making his big league debut last year for the Mets.

His 22-game showing for the Joliet Slammers in the independent league ultimately earned him a shot on the Mets when he posted a 1.64 ERA with 24 strikeouts and just three walks through 22 innings.

Five games into his big-league career, Jay was designated for assignment and later claimed by the Brewers, where he spent the rest of the 2024 campaign. He also reached The Show in Milwaukee, making a pair of scoreless appearances with three strikeouts and three walks. When the Brewers acquired Grant Anderson from the Rangers, Jay was the roster casualty, as he was once again DFA'd to make room for another pitcher.

Jay, 30, was not expected to play a role on the Brewers' 2025 Opening Day roster, but his loss still represents a player coming off of the club's 40-man roster. With the Mariners, he's expected to represent high-minors pitching depth for a club that also just recently added Hagen Danner from the Blue Jays via the waiver wire.

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