As one of the Seattle Mariners on the roster bubble in spring training, things are currently looking up for reliever Casey Legumina.

The right-hander has worked two scoreless innings so far in Cactus League action, surrendering no hits, no runs and no walks. He's struck out two and has gone a perfect six-up, six-down in his two innings.

While it's a small sample size, every little thing helps in Legumina's quest. The issue for him and the Mariners is that he's out of options and can't easily be sent to the minor leagues. Legumina has to make the Opening Day roster to assure his spot in the big leagues, and the Mariners have to put him there to assure his stay in the organization.

Now 28, he went 4-6 last season with a 5.62 ERA, striking out 55 batters in 49.2 innings.

We talked about his situation on the most recent 'Refuse to Lose' podcast:

"This week, this first week of Cactus League games, this first five days of Cactus League games, has been really good for Casey Legumina.

Because we talk about the bullpen and we talk about the guys who could be at the very end of it. Casey Legumina looks better and better by the day right now.

As I've done 55 times this off-season, let me give you the skinny.

In the bullpen, guaranteed spots as far as I'm concerned: Matt Brash, Andres Munoz, Gabe Speier, Edward Bazardo, Jose Ferrer, Carlos Vargas. Those six, to me, are guaranteed spots. None of those guys have minor league options available, or they just simply won't be optioned. So those six are inflexible.

I believe that Cooper Criswell has a really good chance to be number seven. He also has no minor league options. He also makes the bullpen inflexible.

Because of all of that, I have really thought that position number eight in the bullpen has needed to be a guy with options: Emerson Hancock, Alex Hoppe, who they picked up, Troy Taylor.

Well, Hancock looks like he's gonna have to serve as the sixth starter, and Hoppe and Taylor have both given up runs in both of their outings. And Taylor did not look particularly good against the White Sox last time out: two-thirds of an inning, four hits, three earned runs.

So the more that those guys struggle, the better that Casey Legumina looks for the Opening Day roster. I think Legumina has some good stuff, especially from your number eight spot in the bullpen.

But that said, at some point, the Mariners are gonna have to have a guy who has flexibility to him, and somebody's gonna end up getting DFA'd. That's just how this is going to work given the nature of their bullpen.

But every day that Troy Taylor or Alex Hoppe struggles, Casey Legumina looks better."

Colt Emerson has been in the lineup a lot this spring at shortstop. Does that matter in his quest to make the Opening Day roster? We asked ESPN's Buster Olney.

The Mariners will play the Diamondbacks on Friday night at 5:10 p.m. PT. Luis Castillo will start.

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