Mariners shake up catching situation, option Luis Torrens to Tacoma; Jose Marmolejos DFA’d

SEATTLE – The Mariners are shaking up their catching situation.

Luis Torrens was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday afternoon, one of several roster moves the club made in an attempt to improve the least-productive catching tandem in Major League Baseball.

Torrens, 25, is hitting .178 with two home runs and six RBIs with a .519 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 90 at-bats this season. He is 0 for 16 over his past five games.

Combined, Torrens and Tom Murphy are hitting .156 with an .507 OPS this season, worst among all catching combinations in the majors.

To take Torrens’ roster spot, catcher Jose Godoy was selected from Tacoma. The 26-year-old Godoy will make his MLB debut with his first appearance with the Mariners. He is hitting .310 (9 for 29) with two homers and six RBIs in seven games in Tacoma.

The Mariners also claimed – again – catcher Jacob Nottingham off waivers from Milwaukee. It’s the second time in the past month Seattle has done so, after claiming Nottingham, 26, from the Brewers on April 28. He did not appear in a game with the M’s before being traded back to the Brewers on May 2 for cash considerations.

Nottingham has appeared in five games with Milwaukee this season, hitting .214 (3 for 14) with three homers and four RBIs.

In other moves, the Mariners have designated for assignment first baseman/outfielder Jose Marmolejos and reliever Brady Lail.

Marmolejos, 28, is hitting .139 (11 for 79) with three homers and nine RBIs. He has struck out in 34% of his plate appearances this season.