Mariners Strengthen Bullpen with Off-Day Trade for Lefty Joe Jacques
The Seattle Mariners are making an unexpected roster move during their off day, adding left-handed reliever Joe Jacques from the Los Angeles Dodgers to help reinforce their bullpen, which has been heavily used recently.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the return for Jacques is still unclear, but given that he is a 30-year-old journeyman on a minor league contract, the trade could involve little more than cash considerations. Jacques has had brief stints with the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a 2-1 record and a 5.46 ERA over 29.1 career innings in the majors. This season, he has been pitching for Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he’s struggled with a 6.04 ERA in 18 games.
While it’s not certain that Jacques will immediately join the Mariners’ bullpen, the team could use a second left-handed option alongside Gabe Speier. If added, Jacques may take the spot currently occupied by Casey Lawrence, though the return of Trent Thornton could add more complexity to the situation.
Jacques has a solid minor league track record with a 17-13 record and a 4.00 ERA. If he sticks with the Mariners, he is under contract through 2030.
As of Monday, Seattle holds a 32-26 record and leads the American League West by half a game over the Houston Astros. After their off day, they’ll resume play on Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles at T-Mobile Park, with Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) facing George Kirby (SEA) at 6:40 p.m. PT.
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