Curtis Washington Jr. cherishes surprise MLB call-up

Published 8:43 pm Thursday, June 18, 2026

EVERETT — In the history of people getting stuck in traffic while running late to work, Curtis Washington Jr. might have been the happiest one.

When your workplace is a baseball field, as it is for the 26-year-old Everett AquaSox outfielder, that may sound like a given. But Tuesday was different.

With his Uber stalling in Seattle’s rush-hour traffic, Washington asked the driver if he watches baseball. The driver gave a resounding no, so even after Washington explained why he was heading to T-Mobile Park, it did not quite sink in with the driver until the car arrived.

Truth is, it had barely sunk in for Washington himself.

“He saw where we were going, and then he was like, ‘Oh, you play here?’” Washington told The Herald on Thursday. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m playing here today, maybe, maybe.’”

Due to a set of nearly unprecedented circumstances, Washington received a rare Major League call-up straight from High-A. For at least one night, he would be a Seattle Mariner.

“When the opportunity presents itself, I will be ready no matter what,” Washington said. “I didn’t expect to get that kind of call this season, but it happened, and I’m just so thankful, grateful. Words can’t explain how I feel about that situation.”

With the Mariners roster already thin with a rash of injuries, outfielder Randy Arozarena hit the Injured List with a hamstring strain right before Seattle’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. To make matters worse, Luke Raley started experiencing back tightness during batting practice.

Suddenly, the Mariners had zero healthy outfielders on the bench. With Triple-A Tacoma on the road in Salt Lake City and first pitch a couple of hours away, the only way Seattle could have a backup option in the dugout on Tuesday would be a call-up from Everett, which was getting ready to start its series against the Hillsboro Hops at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Rather than rush the promotion of some of their younger outfield prospects, the Mariners turned to Washington Jr., whose defensive acumen and speed on the base paths could be useful if needed.

Due to the last-minute need for the call-up, AquaSox manager Ryan Scott did not receive the news until 5 p.m., when Seattle’s Director of Player Development Justin Toole called him shortly after Everett had finished batting practice.

When Scott called Washington into his office, the outfielder felt he would more likely be placed on the Development List than be promoted, presumably to Double-A Arkansas if anywhere.

“It’s been multiple occasions for me in my career where it’s either been going on the Development List or getting promoted, and Development List has happened more than the promotion,” Washington said. “And I was batting .190, so it was like, ‘Ah, I don’t know what this is going to be about, but we’re going to see.’”

Instead, he received news he never would have imagined. It was the first time Scott got to inform a player about their promotion to the Majors, which made the moment feel even more special for the skipper.

“Seeing Curtis Washington speechless is something I haven’t really seen before,” Scott told The Herald after Tuesday’s game in Everett. “It was something, and he was emotional. It’s probably the coolest thing that can happen to somebody, and it was very, very unexpected obviously for all of us.”

Washington said he instantly went into shock. His mind raced with thoughts about how soon he could get there and how long he would stay, but he had no time to process it. The Mariners needed him at T-Mobile Park as soon as possible, so as Washington hustled to get a bag together and call his Uber, he made sure to give a quick call to his parents, Curtis Sr. and Linda.

Washington first called Linda, who was half-asleep but received quite the wake-up jolt, and then he looped in Curtis Sr., who had been mowing the lawn.

“I told him, and he had the same reaction,” Washington said. “It was just full of tears of joy, emotions, just everything that we’ve always prayed about.”

Once Washington arrived at the clubhouse, his jersey was already hanging in its own locker. As two members of the clubhouse staff helped him with his bags and asked about his sizes for his helmet, hat and pants, Mariners’ infielder Brendan Donovan was the first player to greet him. Donovan (groin) is among the litany of Seattle players sidelined, so he was able to show Washington around.

The two looked around the weight room, training rooms and cafeteria before heading to the batting cages, where he reunited with Assistant Hitting Coordinator Brock Stassi, who was Washington’s hitting coach in Single-A Modesto, among other former minor-league coaches and teammates.

By the time Washington arrived in the dugout, the game had already entered the fourth inning. Rather than walking into an empty stadium hours before first pitch and watching the seats slowly fill with fans, Washington stepped directly into the thick of a packed MLB game. Given how abrupt his promotion was, it seemed fitting.

“That was cinema,” Washington said about stepping into the dugout for the first time. “Absolutely cinema. Seeing all the fans, the big league guys, the coaches. It was a dream come true.”

Mariners manager Dan Wilson gave Washington a hug and told him how happy he was to see him, and he received a similarly warm reception from everyone else. Even fans behind the dugout showed him love when they noticed him, asking to see his MLB debut patch.

The reception in Seattle reflected that of Washington’s teammates and coaches in Everett, who heard the news from Scott shortly after he informed Washington. Given Washington’s bright personality and popularity in the clubhouse, his teammates felt nothing but happiness for him.

“There’s no one that I’d rather want to get that call,” said AquaSox outfielder Jonny Farmelo, who is MLB Pipeline’s No. 70-ranked prospect in baseball and No. 6 in Seattle’s system. “He’s the best dude ever, and that’s a big box to check. I’m really happy for him. It’s something that no one can ever take from him.”

For Washington, experiencing a lifelong dream felt great on its own, but seeing the genuine joy it brought to the people around him made it even better.

“That just means a lot to me, and that just represents the relationship we have as a team,” Washington said. “Not just as baseball players, but off the field as well. … It just helps me feel seen. I feel good about myself.”

Sitting in the dugout at T-Mobile Park on Tuesday, Washington was not sure if he would get called on for a late substitution, but he made sure to be ready. By the time he got to the dugout, Baltimore led 1-0, so after enjoying the atmosphere for a few minutes, he ducked back into the batting cages to stretch his legs and go through his agility warm-ups.

Ultimately, Wilson never put the newcomer into action, but a two-run single from Cal Raleigh in his return from the Injured List lifted the Mariners to a 3-1 victory. Washington sat among his temporary teammates as former AquaSox outfielder Julio Rodriguez gave a brief postgame speech and recognized closer Andrés Muñoz as player of the game.

As the clubhouse cleared out and postgame media availabilities wound down, Wilson called Washington into his office. Just as quickly as his Major League experience started, it was over: Wilson informed Washington that the club would option him back to Everett. Seattle recalled Connor Joe from Triple-A Tacoma to provide outfield depth going forward.

“It was nice words said,” Washington said. “Like, ‘Thank you for coming. We enjoyed having you here, seeing you smile. We know you were ready to go if the opportunity presented itself.’ I told him, ‘Thank you for this opportunity. It was everything I’ve ever wanted and needed.’”

Less than 24 hours after he first stepped foot into T-Mobile Park as a player for the Seattle Mariners, Washington was back with the Everett AquaSox, catching the ceremonial first pitch at Everett Memorial Stadium ahead of Wednesday’s game against Hillsboro.

“It was really, really cool for Curtis,” Scott said. “And the fact that he even got to experience a game in the dugout in the big leagues and sign a big-league contract. It can change your life forever.”

While his stint in Seattle was short-lived, Washington did not leave empty-handed. He got to keep his Mariners uniform, the batting helmet and even the official lineup card.

He’ll also forever have the satisfaction of reaching the Majors, if only for one day. He hopes he has more in store.

“I think it just gives me more motivation,” Washington said. “I think I can relax a little more, but not in the sense where I get lazy, but more the mindset. Just knowing I’m being seen, and just doing the right things. Just continue to trust the process and trust God’s plan, and just keep taking one day at a time.”